The Hallelujah Chronicles: Fire and Ice
by GeminiPiper
Summary: After two losses at the Halliwell household, Leo disappears and Piper changes drastically. A year later, with new secrets and new sadness, will they learn to love again? Magic fic.
1. Prologue

**AN: Hey everyone! I just want to say thanks for reading "The Cardinal Rule" (for those of you that did) and having the kindness to click this fic. (Hey! That rhymed!) Anywho, this is the first magic fic I've done (aside from the crap ones I wrote just starting) so, please, bear with me. This is also a pretty dark fic, so for those of you who cant take that, turn away. Now. Now. NOW! Okay, now we can get started. **

**Prologue**

"_Every man has his own destiny: The only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him."_

—_Henry Miller_

_Spring, 1999_

_Piper reached out tentatively and touched her hand to the shimmering, electrical wall within the crystal cage. She immediately pulled it back when it gave her a sharp shock throughout her system. Biting her lip, Piper started to cry. Nothing like this had ever happened to The Charmed Ones before. They'd been outwitted, outthought, Shax had been one step ahead. Instead of taking their powers or forcing them to bind them, he'd reversed the magic so that the sister who used it, used it on herself and her sisters, threefold. There was nothing like taking a whamming against the wall—Prue—or hell, being frozen. They'd been forced to stop using their magic, if only to save one another. Then, he'd taken the very pregnant Piper and secluded her within the crystal cage and it hurt to know that her sister and her fiancée, Leo, were downstairs, fighting for their lives and hers. _

_Piper's sobs racked her body as she touched her stomach. She wasn't going to make it out of this alive. Leo wasn't going to make it out of this alive. The baby wasn't going to make it out of this alive. Suddenly, she had a bright sense of hope. She knew exactly what to do. Being stuck in the cage, the magic inside would be concentrated. Closing her eyes, she murmured a fast spell. _

Protective forces far near,

Bring your safety senses here,

Come to here, this place I dwell,

Please protect this Halliwell.

_A bright white light filled the cage and swam around her in a heavenly glow, which rapidly intensified to three times its normal protectiveness. Piper prayed her plan would work. Murmuring fierce words of consoling to herself and her child, she flung out her hands and felt the pulses of when she began to blow something up. The energy bounced grew against the walls of the cage before shattering the cage and crystals in small beads of electricity. She took a deep shuddering breath and tore through the attic and down the stairs. She bounded across shards of broken glass, pieces of a broken vase, a photo of her and her sisters, ruined. "Where is he?" she snapped, "Where'd he go?" But there was no one to answer her question. She ran to the kitchen, and her breath caught at the sight. Prue was lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, Phoebe kneeling beside her. _

"_Leo!" Phoebe called. But Prue was losing life, fast, and maybe, even if Leo did get there a light speed, maybe she would be lost anyway._

"_I love you guys." And Prue was gone. _

_Leo orbed in from another part of the house at exactly that moment, but it was too late. Piper gazed down at her sister's dead body, unable to cry, to scream. "What?" that was the only thing to be said. What?_

_Leo looked at his fiancée. "She's gone."_

_Piper's eyes bulged. "I—" She collapsed forward on her knees with Shax's knife buried deep in her back, all the way to the hilt. It was at that moment, Leo disappeared. _

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"…_home invasion…"_

"…_the fiancée…disappeared."_

"_The baby…poor thing…gone…"_

_Piper listened groggily to two nurses speaking outside her door as consciousness returned. She was barely aware of her own body, let alone what had happened. Piper strained her ears and heard the beginning strands of a song. "Hallelujah"._

_Piper nearly broke into sobs. Oh God, that was the song that she used to sing to the baby. It was so beautiful, bring closure to the world, solving everything, spinning beauty in the words and the melodies. She knew her baby was gone, she'd lost her child. Hallelujah couldn't fix this. Piper looked up as her sister entered the room, wearing a sad looking gray jacket which hung off of her limp and drab. Phoebe looked lost and alone, afraid. "Prue's gone." She recited lifelessly. "She's dead. And Leo's disappeared." Her body shook with self-control. "And Piper you—" Phoebe's voice cracked and broke as she chocked on a sob, shaking now, not with self-control, but with tears. "You lost the baby."_

_Piper hadn't needed her sister to tell her, but it made it sadly real and devastatingly true to hear the words aloud. Piper remained emotionless as Phoebe continued to cry beside her, shaking and screaming. Piper couldn't cry, but she didn't try. She didn't know what to do. But she knew she had to do something. She didn't know if she could go on like this. For so long…_for so long_, she'd believed that everything happened for a reason. That the Powers That Be guided them through the bad to get to the good. That for all the bad that would happen, something equally good would shine on them. _

_She just didn't know if that was true anymore. _

_Whatever life held, whatever it held for her, it wouldn't be the same. And she wasn't sure she would face it._

**AN: Okay, I know this isn't making a whole lot of sense right now, and that was pretty crappy, but we'll get to the good stuff soon, and clarity will come. ;-D**

**Thanks,**

**Gemini**


	2. Sleep

**AN: HEY! Thanks for all your reviews! I know, this chapter won't really clear up a lot either, but you will be in the dark for a while, a few chapters anyway. But when something big happens, everything will begin to sort itself out. Just stay with me. Would I steer you wrong? 8888smiles evily8888 Anywho, on with the story!**

**Chapter One: Sleep**

"_Life is like a beautiful melody. Only the lyrics are all messed up."_

—_Unknown _

_Spring, 2000_

Her eyes shimmered with the glare of a huntress. Her body taunt, like that of a jungle cat ready to strike. Her blood hot, anxious. Her bones stiff with ready. She stalked stealthily, sheathed in black. The sky was dark, but moon was high. The night was warm, hot even. She was dangerous. She was waiting. She was smart. Eyes deathly flat, listless, she knocked on the door to his apartment. Mmm. He was just as she remembered him, tall, dark-haired and slim, with that broad chest. He smiled when he saw her decked out in her black pants, black corset and black boots. "Hey." He said softly. "Come in."

"Hi." Piper said as she entered his apartment. It was actually a large loft, spacious and comfortable. It was something out of a television show, honey-colored hardwood floors, matching brick walls. He was a worldly man and his apartment suited him, with a wine rack for the expensive tastes he had, a large fireplace that he could sit in front of whilst he read the latest by James Patterson, or Dan Brown. If only he really were all of these things. Not that it mattered.

"Would you like some wine?"

Ha. "No." She shook her head and closed the space between them. She touched her lips to his and instantly felt his arms around her waist. His fingertips slid under the bottom of her tight shirt. She reached her hands up and started to unbutton his shirt, a tease of tan skin appearing in the wake. When the shirt was undone, she wrapped one arms around the back of his head, pressing their lips together even more. He pulled back to wrench her shirt over her head, running his hands along the creamy skin revealed. In his next movement, he was shoving her pants down her legs, and off, forcing her to the floor. He had every intention of taking her there, on the cold, cold floor, in front of the fireless fireplace.

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It wasn't until the next morning that she awoke, sore from being slammed into the floor so many times, countless times. She was completely naked, spread under a soft blanket, which he'd apparently covered her in, sometime in the morning hours. He milled around the corner of the loft that was designated the kitchen, completely naked, evidently not afraid of showing his body. She rolled over, still under the blanket and studied him. He didn't appear to be what he was. Turning, holding two steaming mugs of coffee, he faced, her a broad smile across his face. "Good morning." He said in that low voice of his handing her a cup of coffee.

Sitting up under the blanket, one-handedly, Piper sipped her coffee and with the other hand, underneath the blanket, she materialized a small atheme, from the foyer of her own penthouse. "Morning." Smiling coyly, she sat her coffee aside and crooked her finger, beckoning him. Smiling, he moved next to her, placing his coffee aside as well. As he leaned over to kiss her, she snapped the cold metal against his skin. "Where is Shax?"

He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they glowed bright red. "So, is this how you operate? Fuck a demon until his legs are as limp as noodles, and then demand something? Women and witches are all the same."

She pressed the knife further against his flesh. "Where is he, damn it?"

The demon, Grackson, smiled. "I wouldn't have any idea what you're talking about."

Not to be put off, Piper made a small incision through his flesh, so blood dripped down his neck and onto his shoulder and chest. She knew he could feel the good magic seeping into him. "I said. Where. Is. He?"

He was getting angry, very angry she could tell. By the way he was still, she knew she had him. She'd been weakening his powers through various potions, which she'd been serving him in wine, martinis, even the champagne he'd liked to lick off her body. Now, he could barely do anything to her, even if he'd tried. "I don't know. You should try Verina." He paused. "He might know a thing or two about Shax's whereabouts." He smirked. "All I can say, is that I hope the bastard gets the same treatment I did."

Piper took her hand in his, slitting his palm as she did the same with hers. This was the first demon she'd taken powers from who could throw fireballs. She already had the power to shimmer and materialize, in addition to her powers of molecular manipulation. Saying a spell, she felt his evil demonic powers search for her blood, a newer, stronger host. Her. She fell backwards under the stress of the new power, the force enough to make her head swim. And yet, in the next moment, she was materialized in yet another black outfit, this one a long black skirt and a low-cut black tanktop. She looked down at him, valiantly trying his powers, as weak as they would've been, to no avail. Piper grew a fireball and bounced it in her palm, knowing the heat there should've burned her, killed her, perhaps. "Looking for this?"

He turned and glared at her. "You little bitch!"

"That's witch to you." Feeling no remorse, hesitation or regret, Piper tossed the fireball at him and watched the demon writhe and scream into a dismal vanquish.

A few seconds later, she was home, having shimmered in. Verina. She knew who Verina was. He was an upper-level shapeshifter demon, powerful and smart. Nobody understood why she had to find Shax. No one got it. But Prue would have. Prue…And the baby… Shaking her head clear of those thoughts, Piper walked into her bedroom. She needed to sleep. When she slept, she didn't have to think, or be. Or feel. Hell, if she was sleeping, she could pretend she wasn't _alive_. It always had been better when she slept.

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That night, Leo strolled down the street, one hand clutching the alcohol he so desperately needed. He looked bad, sick even. Maybe. He hadn't eaten in days, drinking was his only friend. He was well on his way to being drunk off his ass. Maybe he'd pass out again. What a relief that would be. Not to think, to feel. Yes, that would be good. Long ago, he'd discovered he couldn't sleep anymore. So, he drank himself into oblivion. Till he passed out. Till he was numb. That was better than anything.

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Piper stalked angrily up the dark, breezy sidewalks in the San Francisco night. Verina was nowhere to be found. He must've heard she was looking for him… Somehow. But damn it, it was so frustrating. She needed to avenge them, they needed closure, they needed her to save them, to help them. Piper looked at the nightlife crowds around her, and stepped into a dark, hidden alley to shimmer home. She walked to the head of the alley and felt her foot collide with a large, warm groaning object. Sighing, she grew a fireball for light. Her eyes grew big at the sight below. The man looked sick, sad and miserable. It was obvious he hadn't eaten in days and that he was weak. The stench of liquor was pungent, stinging her eyes. Frankly, none of his problems mattered.

Because, he was Leo.

**AN: Well, thanks so much for reading and please review!**


	3. Scars

**AN: Hello, hello, hello! I'm sorry this took so long, I was waiting for my computer to come back from being fixed, and then I typed the chapter up ASAP. Anywho, the distorted feel this story has, I really like it, but one major thing will happen and all the bumps'll smooth out. Thank you for your reviews!**

_I tear my heart open, _

_I sew myself shut,_

_My weakness is that I care to much,_

_My scars remind me that the past is real, _

_I tear my heart open, just to feel._

_--Papa Roach, "Scars"_

He knew, as soon as he awoke, that he was not in the alleyway he'd passed out in. Groaning, Leo sat up and looked around. The bedroom was large and lavish, decorated in expensive fabrics, with colors alternating between red and white. The bed he was in was fluffy and soft, already trying to suck him back into it. But, he didn't move. What was he doing here? Moaning—his head hurt like hell and he though his body was going to dislodged itself somehow—he climbed out of the bed and he walked out of the room.

And there she was, staring aimlessly into space, her hands tucked prettily in her lap. Lord, he'd missed her. His fiancée. The mother of his child. His Piper. "Hi." He said, his voice screeching, rusty and deafening in his own ears.

"What do you want from me?" Her voice was cold and shaky, deep with sadness.

"What are you talking about—"

"What do you want from me!" She shrieked shrilly. "What the _hell _do you want from me!" Surprised, Leo stumbled away from her as she stood angrily, pointing a finger at him. "You lousy, stupid son of a bitch!" she shouted, fiercely, going red in the face. "I hate you! You weren't there for us when we need you! You were just…gone. And we were lost, Leo, lost! But that doesn't mean a thing to you does it!" Her voice cracked and broke, but the tears he kept waiting for never came. "You're just a stupid…" Her voice dropped out from underneath her, and she stalked past him, towards the bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

Bewildered, Leo dropped into her place on the couch and buried his head in his hands.

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Finally, an hour or so later, she came out of the bedroom, wearing a black miniskirt and a black tank top. Her hair was piled on top of her head and she had one knee-high boot clad leg up against a small end table, digging distractedly in her purse. "There are clothes for you in the bathroom. You need a shower." Her voice had lost the coldness, but was replaced by something far scarier. Blandness. "Please help yourself to anything in the fridge. I'm sure you need to eat. We will talk when I get back."

And then, she was gone.

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Leo didn't know how long he stared at his reflection in the mirror, at the scars dotting his body. The scars and bruises and cuts. He poked at one, the newest one, from right before he…escaped. And winced, murmuring swears under his breath. It was still fresh. He poked at one of the older ones, and when he did, it didn't hurt so much.

Reflectively, he trailed on fingertip along a scar that ran diagonally, from under his ribs to his left hip. He remembered getting that one, vividly. It hurt like hell. He could feel his heart beat in his chest as he looked into his face. He had lines he hadn't had before, a sadness he'd never seen. He remembered the way they would taunt him, until he broke.

"_Haven't heard the news, Angel Boy? Your 'soulmate' is fucking demons left and right. A way to fill the void? 'Cuz it wasn't like you ever mattered anyway."_

"_Your kid is dead. Stabbed. Gone. They said its mother laughed. That the baby was dragging her down. She. Never. Loved. You. She. Never. Loved. The. Baby. The both of you were worthless."_

He remembered the moment he'd been broken, when he was destroyed, when they'd scarred him for the first time. He'd screamed until he was hoarse, until he was sure is throat was bleeding and then, he'd let them take him. He poked at the scar tissue protruding from his cut and longed to scream again.

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Later, when the apartment was quiet and the city was dark, Piper came home, Leo was no where to be found. Bastard. He was somewhere getting drunk, she knew. Closing her eyes and leaning against the door she thought back on this past, distorted year of her life. The year she would like to forget and never would.

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_The Halliwell Manor was quiet, solemn, desolate almost. People outside walked past it without a second glance, so many didn't know the tragedy that lurked inside. So long ago, the lives inside were those of happiness and knew beginnings. Love, familial and also romantic, beautiful in everyway. _

_But now, there was nothing. Inside, the house was falling apart. Dishes were stacked in the sink, still dirty from two—no, three weeks ago. Dust gathered along all the pictures in the living room. Gift baskets lay where they were first placed, never opened, scarcely touched. Casseroles got frostbite in the freezer. And the two sisters were ghosts of themselves. _

_Piper drifted down the stairs, her white nightgown stained with…something. It clung, sticky to her body. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she showered. The day of the funeral, maybe? Yes, that was it. Three weeks ago. She smelled. She hadn't eaten in a week or so, but her body rejected anything she gave it anyway. She was starving. She hadn't slept in three days. She was losing her mind. _

_Phoebe was different, a little better, at least she was grieving. She went through the everyday motions: ate, showered, slept. But then, she would go in her room, shut the door, draw the curtains and cry until she was empty. _

_But Piper did none of that. And why did everybody keep asking her if she was okay?_

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And then, shortly after that she'd started demon hunting, using any means to find the right ones. It was easiest to use her body, because then, she wouldn't have to think about it, about what she was doing, what they were doing to her. The last time she'd been really happy was when she and Leo found out they were pregnant.

But they didn't have that anymore. In so many ways, she was scarred. The baby's death: another slash on her skin. Prue's death: Another cut in her flesh. All the men she'd let enter her except Leo: Too many to count. And now, all she could do was bleed.

**AN: Whoa, that was like the angstiest thing I've ever written. Seriously. Anyway, I hoped you liked. Please, if you have any questions, I'd really like to hear, them, even though, most likely, they will be answered in time. Thank you and please review! **


	4. Pretend

**AN: Hey, hey, hey, party animals. Thanks so much for reviewing! I think this story may go to M rating soon (gasp). Seriously, though, I'll let you know before I do. But it might be the chapter after this because…I won't tell you, it's better that you don't know.**

**Bee: You just put into words everything I want this fic to be. Intense, eloquent, amazing, depressing and beautiful. Thank you so much. **

**patricia: Expect a funky direction. This is seriously not going to be some hokey, stupid thing. Long. Drawn-out. _ANGST!_**

**Thanks to:**

**heather1021, Alyssa Halliwell, TVCrazed, LeoPiper –Forever, CrazyWomanLovesYou, versatilecutie, and Paige Halliwell-Matthews. **

**Chapter Three: Pretend **

"_No flaws when you're pretending…_

_Never was and never will be."_

—_Evanescence, "Everybody's Fool" _

Leo stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom, wondering what she was doing in the next room over. Was she crying? Watching TV? Hating him? Questions both frivolous and great clattered around in his head. He watched himself in the mirror, the strength of his own muscle and the weakness of his heart.

What did anyone expect from him? After all he'd lost. Did she expect him to come home and whisk her off her feet? Tell her it was all better and be there to soothe her while she cried? Well, he was messed up too.

In her bedroom, Piper slammed into the punching bag repeatedly, kicking and punching out her rage. She double kicked, a tactic that would take her opponent by surprise. She threw rights and lefts, all the while, her thoughts were elsewhere. Why was this happening? A year wasn't enough time to heal. She didn't act like it was. He'd left them to fend for themselves. They were all screwed up, they _could have died_. Piper almost had.

She hadn't taken care of herself, hadn't made sure she could be okay. As she mercilessly beat the punching bag, pretending it was some inner foe, she felt the presence of a demon's shimmer behind her. Turning as a dagger appeared in her hand, she flung it at the unsuspecting demon.

She watched emotionlessly as it sank itself deep in the demon's chest.

"You have some nerve coming here." She said, her voice trembling with quiet anger.

The demon, his skin an array of gray-yellow with odd green markings shook his head as he covered the place where her knife resided. "No, I'm merely a messenger…I—I mean you no harm."

She snorted. _I mean you no harm_. "Who were you sent from?"

"I cannot say." He paused. "I have a message for Leo Wyatt."

Piper sucked in a breath. Leo? What demon wanted to speak to Leo? "He's not here." She lied, and wondered if her poker face was up to par. "What was the message?" she asked casually, "And I'll get it back to him."

The demon's face went crisp. "My master wishes to speak with Leo Wyatt about their agreement." With that, he shimmered away, leaving only Piper, the punching bag, and Leo in the bathroom, oblivious to the goings-on in the next room.

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That night, when she snuck out to the living room—all she wanted was a glass of water, honestly—she watched him on the couch a moment as he wrapped himself up in his blanket, even though it wasn't really that hot. The perfect exquisiteness of his angelic face, marred slightly by the tiny scar that feathered above his eyebrow, assuring her that he wasn't, in fact, perfect.

Because at that moment he seemed to be, despite his drinking and demonic agreements—whatever they may be. The moon outside was as still as the air was breezy. The sliding glass door that lead to her balcony was open, fluttering the blinds and the various papers staggered around the room. She wondered if she should let him come spend the night in her room. Who knew when the last time was that he'd slept in a bed, the poor thing?

But her anger thudded inside her and she knew that that would never happen. Not after how he'd left them. He let out a particularly loud snore that shocked him from his slumber, causing his eyes to pop open and him to look around quickly and suspiciously.

She raised an eyebrow. "Sorry. Paranoid much?"

He snorted. "You're not sorry. I am a little paranoid, I'll admit. But you're not sorry."

Piper pursed her lips together. "We should talk."

"About?" he wasn't looking at her. He was staring at the balcony.

"You can't stay here forever." Her voice was so quiet, he could barely hear it. "I've moved on. My life doesn't include you now."

Her words hit home, socked him in the gut. He hadn't considered that. Where would he go? He didn't have any place. The Elders…They thought he'd fallen off the face of the earth, had gone AWOL on his job, MIA. That was fine, he didn't want to be there anyway. But he'd gone from The Elders to Piper, he didn't know anything else. He didn't have a job, a home…nothing.

"But you can stay here for a while." She went on. "That doesn't mean I don't hate you." There was no added venom, so he knew it was true. "But because I loved you once, and because there's still a little Charmed One in me, you can stay." Her mouth was set in an incredibly firm line. "Goodnight, Leo." As she drifted back into her room, she heard him say:

"Night, Piper."

She curled up among the fluffy sheets, one hand laid across her stomach. She wondered what things he was hiding from her. And for how long. Angels and Demons didn't make deals. Not any that amounted to any good anyhow. So, when she closed her eyes and prayed for good dreams, she decided to pretend that today was a scene from a movie, you know, the kind that always made you cry at the end because someone dies or, all the grandpa's work is lost.

She listened to the city sounds below, car horns, music, talking, driving. And played pretend all by herself.

**AN: Thanks so much for taking the time to read this fic. I think we're in for the long haul on this one! Please review!**


	5. Control

**AN: Hey! I just wanted to say thanks for the mondo wonderful reviews! They made my day! Thanks so much! I love you guys. And I hope you love this chapter!**

**Chapter Four: Control**

"_I like the way you rake my skin,_

_I feel the hate you place inside…_

_I need to feel you—you need to feel me…_

_I love the way you look at me,_

_I love the dirty things you do,_

_I have control of you."_

—_Puddle of Mudd, "Control"_

Rain drizzled down the scorching San Francisco streets and Piper was thankful for the breeze that carried the wet cool rain into her bedroom. For a week and a half, the temperature had been steadily increasing until it was almost unbearable. In a skimpy black bra and black shorts, she padded into the kitchen.

She couldn't believe that she had allowed Leo to stay. She still hated him, and didn't really want him in her life. She wasn't convincing herself, it was the truth and they both knew it. He stumbled in drunk at all times of the night and spent all the time he wasn't out drinking A) listen to her yell at him, B) sitting out on the balcony or C) glued to her mirror like white on rice.

He was like stone. Un-freaking-penetrable. He didn't seem capable of human emotion, and she wondered: Even if she did love him, could he love her back? She wondered where he was now. What was he drinking? Vodka? Tequila? Or was he downing beer, after beer, after beer until…shudder to think.

She reached up into the cabinet, her fingertips brushing the glass she wanted, but not quite grabbing it.

Outside, from the balcony—not a bar around the corner, contrary to prior belief—Leo watched her stretch for her glass. The way her shorts rode up with every attempt, exposing more, creamy, silky flesh. Her hair cascaded down her back in those cute, soft little waves and he thought he might explode. Goddamn it, he was still a man, he still had those…feelings. This had to end. Now.

He jumped up from his place and trotted into the house, slamming the door behind him. She jumped a mile, and whirled to face him, a scowl contorting her features. "You scared the hell outta me." Leo didn't respond. Wordlessly, he reached up and snagged the cup she'd wanted. He stuck it out. She looked from the cup to him. He didn't know what was going on those eyes, and even if he did, he wouldn't know what to look for. Not anymore. She nodded. "Thanks."

He didn't move.

She sighed. "You need a job." When he still didn't reply, she sighed again. "Leo, how else are you going to save up for an apartment?" She twisted the ball of her foot into the linoleum. "I don't want you here."

"Fine. I'll find a job tomorrow."

She didn't look as though she expected that to go as easy as it did. What she didn't know was that he had secrets, and he didn't want them exposed. It was easiest to go along with what she said. "Good." She said awkwardly. She turned on her heel—not bothering to fix the hem of her shorts, dear God—and strode into her bedroom, the door of which she promptly closed.

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It was late when Leo came back in. He'd been out there for hours, with his knees drawn up, hands clasped pensively above them, eyes closed. He sensed that she had been watching him. It was what they did. She stared at him when she thought he wasn't looking and visa versa. They fascinated each other, they could never get in the other's mind, not like they used to. He sighed. The apartment was dark. She must've been sleep.

A weird feeling struck him. Before he knew it, his legs were carrying him to her room. The door was open and he stepped inside and watched her for a moment. She was in a black babydoll with lace lining the low-cut collar and the very short bottom hem.

Piper was on her side, and her hair was splayed out across the pillow. He heaved a sigh. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He stripped out of his drenched clothes and tossed them into a heap on the floor, by the closet. He quietly slid into the bed behind her.

What was he thinking? If she woke up and found him there, she'd kick him out, flat on his broke, drunken ass. Well, it would be worth it. Hesitantly, he closed his strong arms around her waist and scooted closer to her. She sighed and rolled over, so her breasts pressed against his chest. Leo's breath caught in his throat in expectation of her awakening. And he was right.

"Leo?" She looked up at him, one hand closing over his shoulder. Her big, doe eyes got even bigger.

Piper was beyond surprised. He was in her room, in her bed, holding her no less. Without waiting for a response, she buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck. He felt so good, so warm. He felt like home. She inhaled his smell, which mixed with that of the rain, which still beat down outside of their safe cocoon of togetherness.

With his thumb and index finger, he pulled her chin up so that their faces were so close they could feel one another's breath. Piper let out a soft sigh and kissed him. It was like returning to a place they'd forgotten, like they needed this to jog their memories, in which they would wake up in the Manor to a new day, the baby crying in the nursery and undoubtedly a sister or two banging around downstairs.

Pipe dreams.

But they could have this moment. He sat up and pulled her body flush against his. Leo rested on his knees with hers on either side. And in this position they kissed for what felt like forever, finding themselves in the other. Then, they needed more. First, he played with the spaghetti straps on her babydoll, then, she nipped his neck.

He pulled her stomach to his chest and went to a slow agonizing work on her breasts. Piper moaned as the babydoll went up over her head. He went back to his job and dropped the gown into a silk puddle onto the ground. His kisses and licks dropped to her stomach and even lower…and lower. At her first pinnacle of the night she gritted her teeth and clenched his hair. She let out a low breath and pulled his mouth to her own to continue exchanging kisses.

Leo pulled her even closer to him, so that she continued to straddle him, now naked. Piper was breathing raggedly, and holding his head in her hands, grinding their hips together, and applying kisses to his shoulders, neck, back, lips, wherever she could reach. "Oh…" she said it softly on and upbeat in her voice. "Leo…" The next word came out in a hush as she pushed him over. His head and neck hung precariously over the side but that didn't bother either of them as she administered kisses to his abdomen, then sliding his boxers away.

Rain wet flesh rubbed against sweat slicked skin as his body found the curves of her body, and visa versa, making a home there, until another frenzied grind sent it seeking new shelter. He slid his hands down her body, and his tongue slipped from between his lips to lick the sweat from between her breasts. She rocked violently against him, reminiscent of someone tackled. The move almost sent them toppling to the floor, but he steadied their weight. She noticed how well defined his muscles were, how sculpted, now shiny with her sweat, rain and evidence of her tongue.

"Sit up." His voice was low and rough and commanding. She did as she was told and the next thing she knew, she was in the cradle of his strong, warm arms. Oh, his muscles were well-defined now, and his hands were worn, and rough, callused. The feeling of his hands on her body was pure heaven.

But honestly, it wasn't about making love, or even something pretty two people could share for a night. She hated him and he still knew it. This was about anger, trying to have control over what they did. Their emotions ran off and did stupid things without their consent but their bodies…

That was another story.

It was about control. If only for a few minutes they could control themselves, control one another…Then the consequences would be worth it.

**AN: xxxlooking anxiousxxx Yeah, that was steamy. Right? Anyway, should I move it too M rating or not? I don't imagine they'll be a lot more scenes like that. So maybe, maybe not, you be the judge. Please review!**


	6. Smiles

**AN: Hey you gorgeous peeps! How ya'll been? For anybody who's looked at my bio, it's Friday and I'm updating as promised! So please read! Thanks you!**

**TVCrazed: Yeah, I'm thinking I'll have to go to M rating eventually, but I want to hold off on it as long as possible, give the story a little more exposure on the first pages, you know? **

**heather1021: Well, whether it was a one night thing or not (it was, sorry!) you'll have to read on to find out what happens next. So whaydda doin talking to me, still?**

**Emo-Dreams (A.K.A. PunkRockPixie): Thanks, I tried to steer clear of smutty, but I wrote that a while ago, while going through the first draft of this—and there were many—so I was thinking it might have been a little trashy. But you guys have assured me it wasn't, so thanks!**

**patricia: I had hoped to generate questions but answers are going to have to take the back burner for a while— (hints down at chapter)**

**LeoPiper-Forever: _No, I'm not a nympho_. LMAO! I'm sorry that was just _TOO_ funny. I don't know if it was meant funny or not, but it was. I never expected that! Too funny. Thanks. **

**Alyssa Halliwell, Bee, and halli-halliwell: Thank you!**

**Chapter Five: Smiles**

"_What happens next?_

_I dare you to move,_

_I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor,_

_I dare you to move,_

_I dare you to move, _

_Like today never happened before."_

—_Switchfoot, "Dare You To Move"_

They didn't talk about it.

Honestly, it was like it never happened. Waking with her in his arms was the sheerest…feeling he'd had in a long time. The way her skin smelled like sugar and sex. The way her hair brushed his nerve endings, making him remember the Piper he loved. The way she touched him made him want to learn the new one. Then she'd panted against him again, screamed his name…

And after that she'd gotten up, told him not to forget about his job hunt and waltzed into the bathroom, where she didn't emerge for another thirty minutes.

A week later, during the night, nothing had changed. He hadn't expected for that one night—and brief time that morning—to make her love him. And he hadn't expected her to talk about it.

Leo sat in a bar around the corner. As far has he was concerned, it was nameless. Just another place to have another bit of Southern Comfort, whisky, or tequila, and then he was out. A girl swished up to the stool next to him. She had long, platinum blonde hair and equally platinum fingernails. Basically, she was unremarkable, conventionally pretty. She smiled over at him.

Ten minutes later, she was clutching his naked body to her own as he entered her again. She didn't know his name to say it, not the way Piper did. And he didn't know if biting her ears made her giggle then sigh. He didn't know if her eyes got big the way Piper's did. And he didn't know if she bit her lip when he whispered dirty things in her ears.

Mainly, he didn't know because he didn't want to. He didn't care. All he wanted to do was imagine it was Piper beneath him. Not solely for physically pleasure but for the fulfillment of his soul.

88888888

Piper listened to her quiet heartbeat, and suddenly found herself wondering what would happen if Leo were there to listen to it too. Would he close his hand over it? Kiss it? Kiss _her_? She doubted all three. He wasn't the kind of man who showed his love for anything anymore. And she wasn't the kind of woman to say she wanted affection.

Her heart skipped a beat when she wondered where he was. Was he drinking? Undoubtedly. Making deals with demons? Who knew. What if he was thinking the same things she was, was his mind running wild with things far too impossible to really happen? Suddenly, Piper rose. She would find out if her suspicions amounted to anything, or if she was just…being paranoid. She donned black jeans and a black tank before grabbing a black bag and leaving the house.

88888888

Late the next afternoon, Piper paced the living room. What? It wasn't possible. She thought that she was just imagining everything. It was just once. _Once_. Things like this didn't happen in real life. It was too corny-teen-drama. But this was _real_. They couldn't…This was a mistake. That was all. But then, she had an expert's word to go on, had the results.

She was pregnant.

She and Leo had had sex _once_, for God sake. Yeah, yeah, she knew: once was all it took. But still. She'd seen couples try for months and never have kids. She and Leo fucked around once and she was _pregnant_? Just like that. Of course, she'd kind of already known it. That was what had made her go get that pregnancy test the night before. Positive, it had said. Positive, the doctor had agreed. Then she was pregnant, plain and simple.

Dr. Michaels had smiled when he gave her the results. Kept smiling when she asked was he sure. Had even smiled when she looked out the window to his office in shock. But then, when she turned to him, her eyes wide and damn near lifeless, he grabbed her and hugged her, got her some tissues—though she never cried and imagined she wouldn't. He'd told her that it would be okay, that the government could help girls like her.

She'd almost laughed then. He thought she was trailer-trash that got pregnant in the back of her daddy's Le Baron. No, she'd gotten pregnant while lying in silk sheets and saying her ex fiancée's name. He had given her some pamphlets about abortion. She thanked him even though she didn't think it was an option for her. She was all pro-choice and everything, but it didn't seem right for her.

Now, she was waiting for Leo, praying he wouldn't be drunk. He was looking for jobs again, he'd said, and she wasn't quite sure she believed him, but then again, she had nothing else to go on. She sat on the couch, fingering a glass of—of iced tea of all the things, when she most wanted a drink—and waited for him, trying to lose herself in Oprah's latest weight loss secrets.

A few minutes later, the door open—what a schmuck she'd been, giving him a key—and in walked Leo. His jeans hugged his ass just right and his t-shirt was a little too tight over his muscles. What had _done_ to his body in a year? She took a long pull from her drink and watched him as he sat on the other end of the couch. She wished he would ask her what the hell she was watching. Or something equally male in a totally loving way.

"Leo," she turned to him as she flicked off the TV, "we need to talk." He turned to her, his eyes dead. She decided not to beat around the bush. "I'm pregnant."

And his eyes sprang to life. Emotions swirled around the aqua depths, so many, she couldn't begin to fathom what he was thinking. When he spoke, his voice was even and he didn't stumble over his words. "Is it mine?"

Her eyes got big. "Leo!" she coughed, still surprised. "Yes, it's yours! It has to be. I haven't slept with anyone…Well, the times don't line up."

"We fucked a week ago." Leo said coarsely. "How'd you know?" He leaned his head back against the couch.

Piper shrugged. "I don't know." Though it was afternoon, it could have been the afterlife. The world around them seemed to have faded. "I just…knew."

He made a slight scoffing noise and closed his eyes. "Huh." He still didn't really show any emotions, seemed oddly detached from the situation. "What are our options?"

He opened his eyes and they zeroed in on the pamphlets dotting the coffee table. And his eyes darkened. "No." It was quiet at first and then: "Fuck that, no!" He jumped up from the couch. "That is not a fucking option!"

Piper scrambled to her feet. "Leo, I wasn't gonna—"

"Listen to me for a second! That's my baby you're carrying. I don't want to fucking lose it. If you think for one goddamn second—"

Piper felt a tremor of anger shoot through her body. "It's my body, Leo! I don't give a damn about what you think my options are—"

"Shut up! That's my kid too, damn it—"

He broke off as the loud crack of her hand against his cheek. He grabbed her wrists, stilling her movements. They glared at each other, breathing heavily. She whirled out of his grasp and out of the room.

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An hour later, the water in the shower was freezing. It had started out hot, comfortable. Now, as Piper let the water, sluice down her hair and over her shoulders, down the curves of her body, she wondered how she'd let it get away from her.

Not the temperature of the water, but her life. It had spun away so fast, gotten away from her. It was like she kept pulling at something that didn't exist. The water temperature dropped another notch and all the same she made the same movements, her hand slid over her shoulders, smoothed over her breasts, down to the small curve of her stomach and she felt her stomach lurch. No, not the baby, but her own emotions. There was a child inside her. She was responsible for this little life. She was going to be a mommy. Again.

And then suddenly, tears streaked down her cheeks. At first, she hadn't known they were there. She thought it was blood. But when she touched her fingertips to the hot rivers lining her face, she realized she was, in fact, weeping. And when she this came she let out a sob that was closer to a scream. It rang out around her, louder than the pounding water and the music she had playing. The CD had started over twice. She let out another sob as the shower curtain was ripped back, revealing Leo.

Amazingly, he opened his arms. She stepped out into them, sobbing into his shoulder. Her mouth opened and a sharp sound left it, hindering the way she breathed. He just held her tighter. At the moment, there was nothing very sexy about her slippery form. Because she seemed so small and childlike then. Because she was so lost. Because she needed him.

"What are we going to do?" She asked him, still sobbing.

"I don't know."

She hadn't expected him to have an answer. And she hadn't expected to cry. But then again, she had never expected smiles either.

**AN: So. She's pregnant. Now what? Review to find out! Thanks!**


	7. Nothing

**Chapter Six: Nothing**

"_Wanna know who you are, _

_Wanna know where to start, _

_I wanna know what this means, _

_Wanna know how you feel,_

_Wanna know what is real, _

_I wanna know everything…"_

—_Avril Lavigne, "Fall To Pieces" _

He helped her out of the bathroom carefully, cutting off the water with the hand that wasn't cradling her. "Come on, you need to dry off. You need to sleep." He didn't know what he was doing, why he was taking care of her. He was hurting too. But now there was something bigger than the both of them, and they had to think outside themselves. She wasn't crying, but she wasn't doing anything else either. She was just standing there, doing nothing, saying nothing.

Her lip trembled softly and she stared into space. Leo retrieved a towel and started buffing the water away from her body. She gazed at him as he knelt to smooth the beads away from her legs. Before he really knew what he was doing, he gently kissed her stomach.

"Leo," Piper breathed suddenly, "what are we going to do?"

Leo shrugged and stood again. "Honestly, I don't know. We're not having an abortion."

"That was never my intent."

That was a relief. "Then, well, Piper, it looks like you and I are going to have a baby."

"But…" she fingered her bottom lip as he walked to the closet to retrieve some clothes. Everything she had clean was flimsy and silk, designed for the hot weather they'd been having. But it was cool tonight and she'd been in that freezing shower for over an hour. He sighed and pulled out a box. Somehow, he'd known that it contained his old clothes. Maybe it was the writing on the side that said: _His stuff_.

Well. He yanked it open and pulled out an old soft flannel button down. He slipped it over her shoulders and buttoned it. Had she not looked so sad and helpless, she might have looked sweet, as the shirt was too big for her and brushed her thighs almost to her knees. But she looked like she might give out and there was nothing left to hold her up.

Except him.

He picked her up and laid her down in the bed. She wrapped around herself and curled up in a ball. He wanted to leave her. But at the same time, he wanted to stay and hold her again. Smooth her hair and tell her it would be alright. He wanted curve and arm around her stomach and tell the baby bad jokes that would make her smile. Still, he kind of wanted to run.

So, he made a compromise with himself and grabbed a chair from the kitchen. When he came back, she was facing the doorway, an inquisitive look in her eye. "What are you doing?"

"Go to sleep." He insisted, dropping the chair then sitting in it. "I'll stay here."

"And what?"

"And watch you."

"Sleep?" her mouth curled, but it wasn't quite a smile. "That's a little stalker-y, don't you think?"

"No, go to sleep." He clicked out the light, but even through the thick shadows made by the streetlights, he could still see her and vice versa. Her eyes fluttered closed after a few minutes and finally, his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands Leo came to terms with the idea that after all this time and after all they'd been through, he was going to be a father.

88888888

She woke up three hours later. Leo was sleep, his head tilted back over his shoulder and his arms draped at his side. She looked at him for a very long time, her heart pounding. "Leo?"

"No!" he said shrilly, jerked into and out of a nightmare, "Get away from me—" His eyes popped open and he looked around carefully. "Shit…" he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Are you?"

"I'm fine." He said it coolly, as though he didn't want to share. He didn't.

"No you're not." She made no moves to reach across the space and take his hand, like she would have done a year ago. "Talk to me."

He stood abruptly, knocking the chair over and making her gaze up at him in bemusement and the odd bit of fear. "Look, I fucked you and you got pregnant. That doesn't make us best friends. I don't have to tell you anything."

He stalked out of the room. She stood up and followed him into the living room. He was in the kitchen, getting a drink—of liquor. Real unexpected. "Leo, I'm not interested in being your friend." She shrugged helplessly. "But that doesn't mean—"

"Shut up, okay?" he took a sip from the bottle of Jack Daniels and she suspected this might be the last coherent thing he told her. Somehow, that made it hurt a little more. "Just shut up. I don't have to talk about anything with you." His voice was very icy, sub-zero.

Her eyes flicked with anger. "I can't believe this." She said quietly. He looked her in the eye and took another pull. Piper shook her head. "I can't believe—By having this baby, I've agreed to give a part of my life to a man beyond love and caring." She shook her head again as her voice grew stronger. "I can't believe you were given a second life because of all the good you did on earth in your first. Because all you're doing is hurting me, Leo!" she shouted suddenly. "I know that you have a pact with a demon. After all you've done and after all we've done, I can't believe you would keep something like that from me!"

"I did that for us."

"You did nothing for us!" she hissed nastily. "You do everything for you." She covered her stomach with her hand. "This is bigger than us, Leo! You have to stop thinking of you."

"Fuck you."

"Already did!" she said crudely. "And now we have to take care of this baby! Our child. You make the choice, Leo! What do you want? Your liquor and your secrets or your kid. It's up to you." She stamped off to the bedroom. The last thing he saw was a little slip of red flannel.

88888888

Outside on the balcony, at four o'clock in the morning, Leo sipped his Jack Daniels, wondering if things would ever be okay again. He felt like a failure. He felt like all he'd done to find the love he'd always hoped for and need was going to hell. He felt like all the wrong decisions to get the right things suddenly made no sense. He felt like a nothing. God, he had a baby growing inside the woman he'd once loved and he was outside drinking. God, he _was_ nothing.

Inside, in her bed, Piper cried. Once she'd decided that crying was okay, she couldn't stop. She hugged her stomach and held the picture a picture to her chest. She and Leo very soon after they found out she was pregnant. It had always made her happy and safe. Like she had the world and then some. Now, as much as she would have like it to, it gave her nothing.

**AN: Hey!**

**Mel: Phoebe is still good I guess, but there are always possibilities. And Paige may or may not show up. It's a surprise!**

**Eva Cale: Yes, I'll definitely be going into their feelings because, they're semi-happy because this is their child and another chance. But at the same time I have to convey fear, anger, sadness because they're thinking that they'll screw up again. **

**LeoPiper –Forever: Okay, good because that was too funny. Yeah, I was kind of wondering what to do with Leo's reaction, but it came to me. It was a twenty minute chapter, so you know, I let it flow. **

**patricia: Yup, it was definitely a jumbled mess, but it was the kind I love. I'm glad you like this story because it's the one I've put the most effort into. But everything just kind of falls into place. Thanks!**

**charmedone112685: Angst, I think, is my specialty. Really. I'm good at fluff but it's sadness and anger and all the stuff that I'm pretty much in my element. **

**heather1021, TVCrazed, Paige Halliwell-Matthews, Rhea Ranjan, Serena, foureverCharmed:  Thank You!**

**Anywho, I'm glad that nobody saw the pregnancy coming. I though it was obvious, but I'm writing it so…Anyway, check out my bio, please, I have some stuff up about the possibility of a "The Cardinal Rule" sequel and a "Showgirls" sequel. Bye and please review!**

**Gemini**


	8. Forever

**Chapter 7: Forever**

"_The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do."_

—_John Holt_

Piper stood on the steps of Halliwell Manor the next morning. It didn't matter that the sunshine shone around her and that flowers sprung up prettily from their beds or that there was a soft breeze whipping her hair around her. She'd avoided this place for a year. She didn't know what had happened. Did Phoebe even live here anymore? She dropped down onto the stairs. Earlier that day, she purchased a little leather-bound diary. It was sort of sweet-looking in its simplicity. She pulled out a fancy silver pen and cracked the spine. She bent her head and started to write.

_May 7, 2000_

_Dear Baby,_

_Hi. This is your mommy. I don't know what compelled me to start writing this, but I think that you deserve to know everything. Your mother has made a lot of mistakes, as has your daddy. But we love you. Right now, you're growing inside me and I love you more and more with each passing second. I have a lot to rectify now, a lot of wrongs to right, which I am doing now. This one pertains to your Aunt Phoebe. She doesn't know about you yet, but when she does, she'll love you too. But she may not forgive me. Cross your fingers._

Satisfied, Piper stood from the stairs. Deciding that it was finally time to face her demons—figuratively—she tapped on the door. When there was no response, she knocked louder, and knew that Phoebe, from anywhere in the house would have heard her.

"You looking for the girl that lives over there?"

Piper almost jumped out of her skin. The neighbor next door, Mr. Sampras was standing in his yard. He was an elderly man, kind, with a pension for gardening. "Yes, Mr. Sampras. I'm Piper, her sister."

He stood up from his place at the flowerbeds and tilted his head. "Piper. You're the middle sister, ain't ya?"

Piper felt an odd ball in her throat. "Oldest now, sir."

"Oh yes." He made a tutting noise and shook his head. "The oldest one has passed, hasn't she?"

Passed. She was _dead_. "Yes, she has."

"Well," he shook his head again, "she ain't home. But I can tell her you was looking for her—"

"No!" Piper shouted. Mr. Sampras looked at her in surprise. "I mean, don't tell her, please. I was never here." She walked down the walkway to her car, a raggedy black Ford. She planned on buying a new one sometime. "Thanks anyway." He nodded and went into his house. Piper pulled out the journal and added the words: _Sweetheart, your mother is a coward_. She slipped the pen and diary back into her bag and drove away.

88888888

He was waiting for her when she got home. He was sitting at the table, scouring diligently over the classifieds. Many things were checked off, then crossed out like they'd already said no. But he didn't seem discouraged, just frustrated. She dropped her purse on the table next to him and went in the kitchen.

They stayed in near silence for a minute or two, the only sounds a crinkle of newspaper, or click of her heels. "Are you hungry?" she asked him finally.

It was a moment before he replied. "Starved." She immediately started to set out the ingredients for spaghetti.

"The way I see it," she began a moment later, "is that we don't have to like it, but we're stuck together. And will be for a long time." Leo nodded agreeably when she turned around, so she knew he was listening. "So, I figure, we ought to reach some kind of truce or something. Okay?"

He nodded again. "I've been thinking too. We've got a kid to raise, so I've decided to step up the job search. But then, I realized that I don't have any real credentials. At least, none that would be valid in this day and age."

She nodded wearily. "You're right."

"Okay, so…" he trailed off, because he wanted to wait and see if she would come to the same conclusion he had. "Well, then I was thinking, you could magic me up some credentials—"

"No!" she said suddenly. "I'm through with that Power of Three, good witch crap, okay? That would take the Book of Shadows and that's still with Phoebe."

Leo shook his head. "It's not just about us anymore, remember?"

Piper nodded. "I know but—"

"But nothing." His voice was smooth and even, rock-hard with lack of emotion. "We have to take care of a child now."

"With you still keeping secrets from me?" she hissed quietly.

"That's not important—"

"The hell it isn't!" she snapped. "I can't expect my child to trust someone I can't."

"You can't trust me?" he asked quietly. So quietly, in fact, it caught her off guard.

"Not if you keep secrets from me." She reiterated. She sighed and took a deep breath. "Look, I don't want this to turn into a fight—"

"Nobody's fighting but you." He interjected.

"Whatever, look, all I'm saying is that my truce is getting demolished."

"Sorry." But she could tell he wasn't.

"Look." Piper said. "I'll think about it. I have some money in savings. We'll be fine."

He didn't bother to argue.

88888888

"I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon." Piper announced. She was in the kitchen, getting a drink, while Leo pretended to watch TV. "At one o'clock." He was inclined to say "_So_?", but he didn't. She cleared her throat. "Do you want to, um, go?"

He switched from figure skating to a home-improvement show, and then back to figure skating. He snorted. "You don't really want me to."

She felt and odd tightening in her chest. "Yes I do." She whispered.

He snorted again and flicked on past figure skating to a nineties sitcom and the laugh track blasted through the living room. "No, you don't."

"Why does everything have to be a fight with you?" He didn't reply. She put down her glass. "God, Leo I don't want to be like this forever." He shrugged. She bit her lip. "Look, I want you to come." She glanced at her watch. "Look, like I said, it's at one. So, you know, be ready at twelve or so if you want to go. That's in two hours."

"I can tell time." He said softly. She nodded.

88888888

Twelve came and went, and he'd been out drinking by twelve ten. By one forty-five, Piper was finished with her appointment. She was digging through her purse for something she told herself, but she was lying. She was trying not to cry. She didn't know if she'd expected him to show up, but it would have been awfully _nice_ if he had. She felt her stomach curl up in knots and tears dripped down her face. She sank into a vacant waiting room chair and cried into her fists. God, why couldn't she stop _crying_?

She hated him. He was such a lost cause. And now he was the father of her child. Somehow, that made it much worse. Other people, mostly other pregnant women—_other pregnant women_, what a blow that was—glanced at her curiously and she knew they suspected, much like Dr. Michaels, that she was another statistic of unwed mothers who—wait, would she and Leo have to get married? No. That made it a lot worse.

She was crying so fiercely, it was another minute and a half before she realized that a woman with long red hair had dropped into the seat next to her with a fistful of tissues. "Here." She said handing them to her.

Piper realized that she must've looked ridiculous, so she sat up and thanked the woman for the tissues and started to dab at her eyes, salvaging what she could of her make-up. "Thanks." She gave a nervous laugh.

The woman smiled kindly. "Well, you looked like you needed them."

Piper sniffed. "It's complicated."

"I'll bet." The woman tossed some of her hair over her shoulder. "You're not very far along are you?"

Piper shook her head. "About a week and a few days."

The woman raised her eyebrows. "Well, then how'd you know you were—never mind, it's none of my business." She slapped her hand to her forehead with a little laugh. "Shut up, Paige." She slapped her forehead again. She stood abruptly. "Anyway, I invaded your personal space enough. Bye."

Piper smiled. "It was no invasion, trust me." She stood too. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Paige smiled again and trotted over to her chair. Piper left the hospital. She climbed in her car, and despite the woman's words, they did very little to raise her spirits. She was scared. And angry. And hurt. And maybe she would be forever.

**AN: You know what? I'm so freakin pissed right now! ALL MY STATS RESET! "The Cardinal Rule" had 4 thousand, like 65 hits! Now, it has zero. ZERO! I AM PISSED! But, I'm trying to contain my anger and wait for it to blow over. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for all the lovely reviews, but I'm just simply to PISSED OFF to do personal responses right now. Love ya'll! **


	9. Gritty

**Chapter 8: Gritty**

"_Well, I've heard there was a secret chord,_

_That David played and it pleased the Lord,_

_But you don't really care for music do ya?_

_Well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth,_

_The minor fall and the major lift,_

_The baffled king composing Hallelujah._

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Well, your faith was strong, but you needed proof,_

_You saw her bathing on the roof,_

_Her beauty and the moonlight over threw ya,_

_Well, she tied you to her kitchen chair,_

_She broke your throne and she cut your hair,_

_And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah._

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Well, baby, I've been here before,_

_I've seen this room and I've walked this floor,_

_You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya._

_Well, I've seen your flag on the marble arch,_

_But love is not a victory march,_

_It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah._

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Well, there was time when you let me know,_

_What's really going on below,_

_But now you never show that to me do ya?_

_Well, remember when I moved in you,_

_And the Holy Dove was moving too,_

_And every breath we drew was Hallelujah._

_Maybe there's a God above, _

_But all I've ever learned from love,_

_Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya,_

_And it's not a cry that you hear at night,_

_It's not somebody who's seen the light,_

_It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah._

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah._

—_Jeff Buckley, "Hallelujah"_

_Dear Baby,_

_It's the grittier parts of you that everyone pays attention to. Sure, if they like you when they first meet you, they'll pay attention to all your attributes. But it's when they know you, they see the gritty side. It's your faults and your flaws. If they like you, it's reassuring that you're not perfect. If they don't, it's one more awful thing for them to say, one more horrible thing for them to obsess about. Sweetie, always show the gritty. That way, no one can say you lied. _

Piper closed her little leather book as she finished the thirty-seventh entry. She knew; she'd counted. She didn't lie to herself. As the baby grew inside her, she was growing too. As a person. She was become a different person. Suddenly, it wasn't so important if she found Shax. Her pain was fading, going. Slowly, but leaving her all the same. There were days now when it didn't hurt so much to wake up. When it didn't stall her heart to see other happy moms in the street.

And then, there were times, when she couldn't get out of bed for the gnawing at her heart. When it the reality of it all stabbed her and she panicked. They weren't ready for this. This was a child that she and Leo would be responsible for, for eighteen years at least. As she slipped the little book into her purse, something slammed her with deadly accuracy:

_What if she wasn't a good mother?_

Then what? Would the baby hate her? Would it leave her? She dropped into her bed, idly brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she considered this. She _hadn't_ considered this. Her heart beat a funny tattoo and she placed her hand over it. What if she wasn't good enough?

"What's wrong with you?"

She looked up to see Leo standing in the doorway, his hands braced on either side of it. "Nothing." She said breathlessly. "I just…nothing." She dropped her hand. "Nothing. Really. I'm fine."

"You don't look like it." He admitted slowly.

She stood, feeling a little of kilter. Her big black t-shirt billowed around her as she compulsively straightened her bedroom. "I'm okay, I swear."

He stood there for a few seconds longer, not moving, not really doing anything. "You know," he said finally, "I'm kind of sorry I missed your doctor's appointment."

She nodded. "Yeah. It's okay." Lie.

"No it's not, I wish I'd been there."

"It's okay, really." Lie.

Leo shifted his shoulders uncomfortable. "Well, I do wish I'd been there." He paused thoughtfully. "Piper, this is our kid. I should be there." His face shifted into determination. "I will be there. From now on."

She shrugged and turned away from him to face her closet. "It's not important." Major lie.

"I just wish—"

"You know what I wish, Leo?" she asked suddenly, whirling to face him. "I wish you wouldn't keep secrets from me. I wish we were okay. I wish it was all okay, but it's not." Her heart was beating crazily and her chest heaved. "I wish it was, but it's not, okay? IT'S FUCKING NOT!" She cried. "IT'S REALLY NOT! And do you know why?" she exploded. "It's because you make me feel—" Her mouth open and a scream came from no where. Erupted from her heart and over the rest of the world. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dotted her shirt like rain. "YOU MAKE ME FEEL GRITTY!" She snapped. "LIKE I _AM_ GRITTY! AND THAT IS NOT OKAY!"

Leo's eyes opened as he became more and more alarmed. "Piper, what are talking ab—"

But he broke off because she was still screaming. Not even words anymore. Just sounds. They were animalistic in their ferociousness, in the way that sent chills down in spine. "I HATE YOU!" She said finally. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!" He didn't know what she was doing. Breaking down seemed appropriate. She ripped her shirt off and walked past him to the bathroom. He could see the little lump her belly was, and that held him off, because he wanted to grab her.

She turned on the shower so that the water pounded so fiercely, it thundered into the room. "I HATE YOU! I REALLY FUCKING HATE YOU!"

She stepped under the spray. Something was wrong. God, she had to stop feeling so gritty. She had to get it off. She'd finally snapped. She'd spent to long holding her feelings at bay. Capping them. She'd spent to long doing that and had traded her sanity for a year of barely held together peace. She leaned back against the shower wall. She slipped down past the tile, her back sliding over it until she was sitting on the floor of the shower. She felt the life of the fight seep away.

Her hair grew matted and tangled with wet and she didn't have the energy to smooth it out of the way. Her heart was beating so messed up anymore, it was thudding along like normal. It almost made her smile. Before she really knew what was going on, Leo had scooped her up. They went through the same motions as the last time he'd saved her from herself. He dressed her up in an old warm shirt of his and put her in the bed.

Except this time, he shed all his clothing and climbed in with her. He undid the buttons he'd so carefully fastened and kissed her belly. Somehow, it didn't make her hate him any less, or deduct from his rock-like personality. "Do you remember that song a used to sing to the baby?" she questioned quietly, into the darkness. He nodded and pressed his cheek to her stomach. Somehow, he guessed this wouldn't happen again. "Will you sing it with me?"

He nodded again and opened slowly, so slowly, he opened his mouth and together they sang "Hallelujah". And somehow, for a while, that made it okay.

**AN: Hey, I just wanted to upload this now, so I'm not gonna do personal response, but I do want to say that Piper's first doctor's appointment was not so much for the baby as it was to get her prenatal pills set up and all that stuff. So, yeah. Okay, peace and please review!**


	10. Bad

**AN: Hello! Okay, don't hate me, but I honestly thought about not posting this chapter. Do you want to know why? Because, I'm thinking into the future, towards Charmed's end in May (in the US). I'm just not sure how many people will continue to read its fanfiction, and I don't want to keep posting for no readers. Anyway, here's the chappy. **

**Chapter 10: Bad**

"_Does that make you sad?_

'_Cause you look sad._

_You should be glad, for what you have and_

_Don't feel bad,_

_I could wish less for you."_

—_The Wallflowers, "Health and Happiness"_

All of the other dads were, like, into it. Really, really, into it. They all showed up in varying shades of blue, green, and gray cashmere sweaters and those who needed them had those classic, rimless glasses. They all had shiny wedding bands and drove SUVs. They talked about the latest cribs and dressers and corporate flex time. There were only two who didn't fit this mold, and showed up for the parenting class. One, a fifteen year old, who looked scared more than anything else. And, of course, Leo. He showed up in a black t-shirt and Piper'd dropped him off her in ratty car. He reeked faintly of loner, his hands in he pockets of his gray jeans, his hair splayed out over his forehead. He loped into Dedicated Dads and kind of leaned in a corner. Taking it in. Absorbing nothing.

"I'm Blake."

Leo opened his eyes. One of the blue sweaters—apparently, his name was Blake—was sticking out his hand. Leo stared him down for a second. Finally, he shook back. "Leo."

"First timer?" Blake said.

Leo almost nodded, almost didn't. "Kind of." He answered finally. Blake cocked his brown-haired head in confusion. Leo sighed. "It's complicated."

Blake waited for a second, the relented. "Okay, I get it, don't wanna spill your whole story to a stranger."

Leo smirked. "So, why are you over here with the loner?"

Blake smirked back, only his was a lot less questioning, and lot more bitter. "Well, I'm not gay enough to only like sausages, I take to peaches now and then."

Leo almost laughed, but settled for nodding. "Fair enough." And they both leaned against the wall.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Leo had to say that his area of particular weakness was the cloth diapers—even though Piper had insisted that she didn't give a flying fuck and they were using the other kind. Even so, it was part of the course. The instructor was a bohemian kind of lady, who always had something to say about chakras. She walked around the changing tables, murmuring words of encouragement. When she got to Leo, who'd managed to stick his baby four times with the friggin' pin and was getting that odd mix of anger and sadness in the back of his head, she frowned.

"Mr. Wyatt," she said in that annoying, faux-breathy tone of hers, "I'm sorry, but if you stick the baby one more time, you fail the cloth diaper portion."

Of course, the Sweaters—as he'd taken to calling them—were doing fantastically, even Blake, who had this nifty little twist-wipe-and-toss move to wiping the baby. Apparently, he came from a big family. When the instructor moved around to Blake, who was directly across from Leo, she intentionally rubber her palm over his shoulder—she was so obviously flirting. Blake grinned and mouthed: "So not my type."

Leo mustered what he could of a smile and stuck the baby again.

**XxXxXxXxX**

He failed. Totally and completely. The only section he managed to pass was feeding. Blake had blown through the whole thing with flying colors. The throb in Leo's head had gotten heavier. However, he stood with Blake outside the community center, while waiting for Piper to show up. Blake had his own little SUV to return to, but instead, talked Leo's ear off. The guy was a Sweater on the outside, but a Loner on the inside.

And then, for a second, Blake shut up. "Well, you said it was complicated. I've got time."

Leo shook his head. "You don't wanna hear my sob story."

Blake quirked his eyebrow. "Nuh-uh." He shook his finger. "I wouldn't have watched _The Notebook_ seventeen times if I didn't like a good sob story."

Leo, caught off guard, let out a bark of laughter. "You are such a freak." Blake shrugged and made a motion for him to go on. Leo sighed. He knew he was gonna start talking. But what would he say? "My…thing. Um, girlfri—no, um, ex-fiancée, was pregnant, about a year ago." He stilled for a second. "And, then, we lost the baby. So, we, uh, broke up. But, just a while ago, we ended up sleeping together and—"

"Ah." Blake held up his hand. "Say no more. I got you."

Leo grimaced. "So what about you?"

Blake sighed. "Well, my partner and I, Jeff, were adopting, by way of a surrogate mother. She wanted a kid, and so did we. So, we all agreed to some kind of 'clump' lifestyle. We'd share custody, visitation, all that. But, a few months ago, Jeff died."

Leo wanted to say he was sorry. But he wasn't. He'd seen—and caused—a lot more than one death. The customary ratty black Ford rolled around the corner. "That's my ride." Leo said. "I've gotta go break it to her."

Blake nodded. "Oh wait, here's my number." He gave Leo his card, who then glanced at it. Ah, so Blake was a therapist. And now Leo was pissed.

"In case I ever need to talk?" He sneered.

Blake shook his head. "Nah. In case you wanna grab a beer." And he strolled off.

Leo sighed again. Piper stopped the car, and for a moment, in her sunglasses, caught in that shaft of sunlight, she looked almost normal. But then, he climbed in, and her voice was everyday stiff and he knew she wasn't.

"How'd it go?" she asked, shifting gears and starting off down the road.

Leo sighed a third time and held up his certificate of failure. "I failed. I was bad."

**XxXxXxXxX**

Piper couldn't help it. Her breakdown in the bathroom had been a breakdown. But at once, it had been a _breakthrough_. If she'd never had it, she wouldn't be on this verge, on this brink now. Everything was so sad. But she was almost there. She was no longer frozen. At least she was grieving.

_Hi honey, it's Mommy again. I shouldn't be telling you this, not when your little mind is so young, so fragile, but everything here isn't right. We—me and Daddy—have all the love for you. But for us, it's missing. It's so missing. I want…I want so much. I know I shouldn't, but I do. Is it so wrong to have the white-picket-fence-fantasy? Yes. Yes, I know it is, because I want it so bad, but I'm not willing to give it. _

Piper put her pen down. It was nighttime. Late, so late. She wore the first change in her wardrobe, she wore the first step—a sky blue, silky robe. She walked out to the living room. Leo was stretched out on the couch, watching infomercials. He looked up when he saw her. She didn't smile.

"What are you watching?"

"Magic Bullet. You can make gourmet chicken salad in six seconds."

The corner of Piper's mouth lifted. "I keep meaning to buy one of those." She paused. "Can I watch?"

Leo shrugged, but sat up, to make room for her. She sat next to him in silence. They watched the whirring of the appliance. "Nice robe." He commented. In reply, she scooted closer and leaned against him, wrapping her sensual heat around the cold aura of his body. She took his arm and wrapped it around her, settling his big palm on her stomach. He stiffened. Stayed that way for a long time, then relaxed. Stroked her stomach, and finally whispered, "That's ours."

Piper nodded. "That's right."

He stroked higher and higher, until his hand came to her breast, squeezing, touching, until she moaned. "Do you feel bad?"

She lifted her head and his lips were there, kissing, tasting, taking. He moved his other hand until it was at her arm, until he was circled around her, until he was the one doing the wrapping, until she was in his lap, at his mercy. He took her breath away. He had so many secrets. Created so much sadness. But he was the only person who could make her happy. He slid his hands under the robe, to the bare, silken skin underneath. He shifted, so that they were parallel, and kept kissing her.

Her hair fell over them like a chocolate mask. He let out a strong, husky breath. "Your panties…take them off."

She swallowed as her lips, so pink from so much kissing, crushed against his. "I'm not wearing any." His hold on her strengthened. He pressed her to him, she was unable to break free. He ground his lips into hers. Hard. And it wasn't so much fun anymore. She struggled against him. "Leo, Leo…let go! You're—you're hurting me!" He didn't let go right away, he held on, just second longer, and when he did release her, she scrambled away like a scared puppy.

"Stay away from me!" he shouted. "Stay the fuck away from me."

Nonetheless, she walked towards him. And he shot up so fast, he was on her in a second, still breathing hard, hot and savage, dropping his icy exterior. "Well," he roared, pressing their faces together. "do you feel bad _NOW_!"

Piper wrenched herself away from him and rushed to her room. She locked the door and crawled into bed, her heart still ricocheting. In the living room, Leo sank to his knees, right there where he stood, and busted into tears. The one woman, he loved, wanted more than anything, was the one he should've stayed away from, if only to protect her.

And so, in answer to his question, yes, she felt bad. So bad. But he felt worse.

**AN: If nothing else, I do damn good angst. I mean, not to be pompous. Really. Anyway, I want to know if you guys'll keep reading. So, please, drop me a review on the subject. Thank you!**

**PS: I love the Magic Bullet infomercial. I've watched it for years. Ah, I love that couple! If you've ever watched it, you know what I'm talking about. Don't you love Mimi and her "liqueur?" Too. Freaking. Hilarious!**


	11. Know

**AN: Hi! I've been stringing you guys along a long time now. What happens next? What's the secret? So, I'm giving you a break. There's more to the story, so if anything about this story is confusing, then, well, let me know, and I'll reiterate clearer in late chapters. Love ya'll!**

**Chapter 10: Know**

"_You know what happens with the lights back on,_

_The less you know,_

_The more you want." _

—_Jimmy Eat World, "Just Tonight"_

When Piper was out, that demon returned. That same demon with the gray skin and those ugly, crisscrossing, green and yellow marks on his skin. Leo had a drink in his hand, watching _All My Children_. Ah, that Erica Kane was at it again. But when that demon shimmered in, blocking the infamous soap opera queen's latest dally into scandal, he was forced to sit up and take action.

"What the hell do _you_ want?" he ground out.

"I mean you know harm." The demon rattled off. "My master wishes to speak with you."

Leo shook his head. "No, no, no!" He stood up, in a fit, in a rage. "I won't have anything to do with magic. Not anymore, no orbing, no healing, no nothing!"

The demon cocked his head, with the oddest, most content smirk he'd ever seen. "Not even for your unborn child." Leo stiffened. "Yes," the demon nodded, "they know." Leo turned in time to see him pointing towards the heavens. Then, towards the floor. "We _all_ know."

Leo shook his head. "No, no, no." It was all their fault. He shook his head again, pressing his hands to his ears, pressing into his temples. He'd only done what he thought was right. He'd only done what he thought was right to keep him and Piper together. He hadn't known, _he hadn't known_.

"They want to meet with you."

"They _who_?" Leo sneered.

The demons lips curled in a grotesque, pale imitation of an actual smile. "Gideon and Belthazor, of course. Even good and evil will come together when the need is dire."

Leo shook his head once more, in agony, in defeat. "But then she'll know. Then she'll know what I did."

The demon took his arm. Leo didn't protest. He knew, he knew. "Well then, Leo Wyatt, perhaps it's better that we do this now. Then she will know. We're _saving _you."

**XxXxXxXxX**

Piper stopped her clunker in front of the Halliwell Manor. The house sat there, inviting, wonderful, yet looming, terrifying. Piper sniffed. She was bigger now, her pregnancy obvious. If she knocked on the door, if she dared to enter, Phoebe would see her. Piper trudged up the walk. Up the steps. Up to the door. Her fist came up. She knocked. Once. Twice. Footsteps. Light. A woman's.

The door flung open and instead of her sister, Phoebe, it was a redhead. Piper recoiled slightly, more out of confusion than anything else. Who was she, where had she seen this woman?

"Who is it, Paige?" Phoebe's voice. Her sister bustled into the foyer and stopped dead in her tracks. "Piper?" she murmured softly. "Piper!" she screamed and rushed her older sister. And for the first time in a long time, something inside her cracked and they cried together.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Leo was taken to the Underworld. Taken directly to the two masterminds, Gideon and Belthazor. They stood together, the merging of good an evil, to bring down one person, one man. If only they knew he was already defeated. The messenger demon bent Leo by his head, much like a police officer presses a criminal into the backset of the car. Leo dropped to his knees, bowing before them.

"What do you want from me?" He roared, even beaten as he was. "You already took everything from me."

"Apparently we didn't take everything." Belthazor said condescendingly. "We understand that Piper is pregnant again."

"_You_ weren't supposed to know anything!" Leo screamed. He turned to Gideon. "_You_ betrayed me!"

Gideon, an exalted Elder, gazed down at him in contempt. "Leo, it was for your own good. For one being to possess so much power—"

"That '_being_' was my child—"

"That _being_ was a threat!" Gideon threw in.

Leo, brokenly, whispered. "I didn't know, I just didn't know." And as he started to sob, the memory unfolded.

**XxXxXxXxX**

_Leo orbed to the Elders, bowing before them in respect. _

"_Speak, Leo." Odin's voice rumbled into the beautiful silence. _

"_I love her." Leo started. "I love a witch, I love a Charmed One. I love Piper." Silence greeted him. "She's carrying my child. I just want to raise my child, and love her in peace."_

"_Do you want to clip your wings, Leo?" Odin asked. "Is that what you want?"_

_Leo shook his head. "No, no. I just want a chance. A chance to prove that our love and our child won't damage our jobs."_

_The Elders talk amongst themselves until Gideon's voice cut through. "Leo, we have agreed to allow your…love affair to go on." Leo ignored the condensing choice of words. "You must sign this agreement. If you can manage to stay together without any lacking in your jobs, we will stay out of it. If you can't, you will be taken from them." _

_Leo nodded and the parchment was pushed in front of him, along with a pen. He signed his name and the parchment was taken away. _

"_Now go, Leo. Love."_

_What Leo didn't know, as he orbed back to his happiness was that below his signature, in Latin, read the words: "The sins of the father shall be received by the son." It was headlong launch into trickery and sadness. It was the reason Piper and Leo would come to loose their child._

**XxXxXxXxX**

"But you have to understand!" Leo said, as the messenger demon shimmered away. "Piper doesn't know!"

Belthazor grinned. "Well, she does now."

**AN: **

**Kcdancer:  If there's one thing I'll do with this story, it's explain everything. But I'm pacing myself. I'm not just going to give it all away. Don't worry about it. **

**Charlie: Yes, I've decided I _will_ be updating "Breaking All The Rules." I've almost finished the second chapter now, but I'm dissatisfied with it, so it'll take a few tweaks and kinks. **

**-Leo-Piper-Forever-: Actually, reading back on it, I kind of like Leo and the other dads too. It was more interesting than I first thought. Anyway, places like my fictional Dedicated Dads _do_ exist, and I'm pretty sure there are some specifically for new dads, new moms, young parents, etc. **

**Dream.Of.Rainy.Days-x: I'm so jealous. My mother and I get into this constant battle—Magic Bullet, or the Jack LaLane (sp?) juicer. I'm, of course, am pro-Magic Bullet, especially since Jack and his wife have spoken such sacrilege against it. Sorry to have let loose on you there. This story is a lot darker than my others, and that's why I like it too. I'm one of those people who creates something to get away from something. Whenever I have inner angst, I start up a chapter on this. Or, if I'm sad, I listen to dreary music until it just goes away. Hence, this story's birth.**

**patricia: Why was he rough with her, you ask? I'm gonna be real with you—mostly because I felt like it. But secondly, it was an emotional thing. If he could make her hurt because of him, if he could make her hate him, it would keep her away from his deepest, darkest secrets (hints at above chapter). **

**CrazyWomanLovesYou, PiperandLeoFan101, TVCrazed, heather1021: Thank You!**

**PS: Last chapter was mislabeled, it was actually chapter 9, so I'll fix eventually. Please review!**


	12. Love

**AN: Oh, it seems like it's been FOREVER! But, no, I haven't forgotten about you guys. And, I wrote this chapter in one sitting last night! Yay me! And, my birthday was Thursday! Yay me again! Anywho, I typed this chap up ASAP, and here you go!**

**Chapter 11: Love**

"**_When one is in love, one begins by deceiving one's self, _**

**_And one always ends by deceiving others. _**

_**And this is what the world calls a romance."**_

—_**Oscar Wilde**_

Leo's eyes widened expansively, like great swimming pools of defeat, and when he spoke his voice was strained, less from blockage of his teeth, but more from somewhere deeper: stomach, throat. "What do you _mean_, 'she does now?'"

Gideon smiled. "Just what he said, Leo. We've sent the messenger to alert her, and then, he will bring her here."

Leo snorted. "And then what."

"Oh," Gideon answered, "that's simple: We'll kill her."

Leo was pretty sure that Gideon hadn't garnered the reaction he thought he would. He was quiet and marble-stiff for much longer than even he had anticipated. Then, his mouth had twisted in an ugly, ferocious snarl, his top lip curled back and he swiveled up screaming: "You sick _son of a bitch_, I'll _kill_ you!"

And he leapt on his former associate in a clear and very deliberate attempt to tear his face off. Leo had been angry before. So angry, he literally saw red. But he'd never experienced blind rage like this. He'd never willing touched a person with the intent to kill and been so happy about it.

Belthazor watched the blood spill with a bored look on his odd face and then, he was faintly surprised when the Elder slipped from Leo's hand and slithered into a pile on the floor. He yawned and said in a tired voice: "You've killed him."

Leo turned, a wild, animalistic look in his eye. He spoke in a voice beyond death, a voice so inhuman, had Belthazor been a lesser being, he'd have shriveled up where he stood amongst the fire and brimstone. Leo lifted one lone finger and pointed at him. "I'm coming for you next."

And he disappeared in somehow ominous blue orbs.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Phoebe hadn't wanted to let go. She'd wanted to hug her sister forever, assured that if she did, she would never leave her again. Piper, as glad as she was to see her sister, was getting tired, as the baby often made her, and just wanted to be home. When she got there however, it was a wreck, the only word coming to mind was desolation.

Leo strode like a large jungle cat through the wreckage, tearing one of her leather seat cushions apart with his bare hands. When he looked up at her, she took a step back, stunned by the sickening, absolutely evil glint in his eye. His voice was gravelly, and sick, somehow too deep and metallic to be the father of her child.

"Where the _fuck_ have you been?" He asked, moving slowly toward her in the near-darkness.

The closer he got, the more she edged away, like some sick cat-and-mouse game. "I was—I was just ru—running some errands—"

"Why the _fuck_ don't I believe you?" His head cocked slowly to the side, studying her up and down. The thought dimly occurred to her that he had finally snapped.

"I don't know, Leo." Piper swallowed and tripped over an upturned houseplant. She threw her purse onto what was left of her couch. "Why don't you sit down and we can—"

"They've gotten to you." He whispered. "You _know_. You know, and now you're afraid of me." His gaze dropped and swept up her body. "Even pregnant, you look like a million dollars. Do you know what they'd do to you down there? How they'd touch you? What they would say? The things they would do just to make your skin crawl? And you would trust _them_ over _me_?"

Piper was edging toward her bedroom now, and she'd made a half circuit around the room. "Leo, I swear I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Shut up. Yes you do." He gave a harsh giggle. "C'mon, Piper, what did he promise you? Or was it the idea of making me be the bad guy all you needed?"

"Leo—"

Abruptly he pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. "God_damnit_, I said would you _shut the fuck up_ for a minute!"

Piper's eyebrows skyrocketed. "Leo, I don't know what's wrong," and her own anger was sparking, "maybe you've had a little much to drink—I don't know, but I'm going to have to ask you to—"

And that was all the time it took for him to be on her. He'd pushed her into her bedroom, onto the bed and was braced over her. "Can I ask you a question?" Leo whispered. "And you'll be straight with me?" Piper's heart pounded in her head. What was going on here? What did Leo think she knew? What was he going to do to her? And why was he going to do it? But she nodded, and he seemed satisfied with her answer. "Do you love me?"

Piper, stunned, actually answered him. "What?"

His eyes narrowed decisively. "Please, just answer the goddamned question. Do. You. Love. Me?"

"Leo I don't know what this is about—" She broke off as his hand trailed up her leg, causing warmth to pool inside of her. "Please, Leo, stop."

He lowered his mouth over hers, smothering out her cries. "Do you love me?" He didn't wait for and answer and started to trail away from her mouth, down to her collarbone. There wasn't an inch of her he wanted to forget. Because when she found out—if she didn't already know—she would hate him for sure and he would never see her again. He trailed on hand down the front of her shirt and started to unbutton it, one handedly, taking his time, giving her a chance to stop him.

She didn't.

"Are you ever going to answer my question?" he asked, in between kisses of her soft slack mouth. "Do you love me?" She merely groaned and started to fumble with his belt buckle, getting it undone in record time, sliding it from the loops in his jeans and it was immediately, abandoned over the side of the bed. Off went her shoes as well and she ran her bare foot up his leg, teasing him, taunting him, afraid of and waiting for him to crack.

Finally, the shirt was undone. It fanned open around her belly which he didn't hesitate in kissing. "My baby."

"Your baby." She echoed.

He made some kind of sound deep in his throat that sounded like a sob of the truly heartbroken. "Do you love me?" He repeated. Piper growled back, dazed and confused.

"Leo, shut up and fuck me."

And he knew that when she used words like that, it made it hurt a little more. Made the act mean a little less and be more of a sting than a stab. Finally, pants and underwear came off down. Slowly, he parted her legs. She inhaled deeply, and put her head to the side, staring out the window at the dark gray evening. God what was he waiting for? Why didn't he just…

Tears welled up in her eyes. He talked about loved. Asked again and again if she loved him? If he loved her he would—oh. Do just what he did right then. The tears spilled. He filled her up, he made her whole. And he splintered her world.

Leo dimly watched her cry, and almost didn't care. Why should he? If it hurt that much, she should have turned him away. She should have said no. But she said yes and cried. She cried honest-to-goodness tears. Her words whispered in his head as sweat beaded on his brow—_Harder_. _Faster_. Made the world go round. Okay, yeah, this was okay. He knew harder and faster. He knew how to make her utter that final, guttural moan, that moan she would still make through her crystal tears. She—and he—were almost there. And he asked one last time: "Piper, do you love me?" From somewhere deep inside, she groaned, from the bottom of her stomach, she moaned. Cried harder. And he had his answer.

She didn't.

**AN: Ah, self-delusion. The angsty writer's best friend. I was gonna do personal responses, but I really want to get this up! Anyway, just to be clear: Piper doesn't know yet, but Leo thinks she does and the big question here (actually, there's two): Why did Leo leave? And where did he go? Dun, dun, dun…**


	13. Crash

**Chapter 12: Crash**

"_You drive away from my car crash of a heart."_

—_Butch Walker, "Mixtape"_**  
**

She was still lying there with her legs spread, staring into space, her tears drying on her face, when he left to take a shower. When he got out, Leo didn't bother putting a shirt on, instead slid into a pair of soft, worn jeans and went to look at her. By then, she'd curled up in the fetal position, the sheets tangled around her like a spider's web.

Leo leaned against the doorway, resting his blonde head on the jamb. "Are you okay?" He asked finally.

There were a few heartbeats of silence, then, she replied with a snort. "Don't worry, Leo, you were a gentle lover."

"That's not what I mean—"

"I _know_."

Leo sighed. "You never answered my question."

"I know that too."

"Well?"

Piper snorted again. "Don't ask me that again."

Leo's mouth twisted in a cruel sneer. "Why? You'll get _offended_?"

"Oh, fuck you too." She still hadn't looked at him.

"What—"

"Leo, don't feign innocence and normalcy when you're _not_ inside me."

His stomach wrenched. "I'm sorry."

She sat up. "Leo, I'm tired. If I had my way, you'd be in this bed with me, seducing me with kisses and caresses all over again. I could trick you into bed with me—I really could. But I don't want you here." She cocked her head. "Does that make any sense?"

Leo's face was carefully blank. "Hungry?"

**XxXxXxXxX**

In all honesty, he supposed they looked fairly normal in the restaurant—hell, he'd even put on a shirt. She wore a little burgundy dress with a gold ribbon empire waist with her hair piled on top of her head. When they'd been seated, she'd cracked open her menu without a word or without looking at him. After a few moments, he spoke. "So what looks good to you?"

"Smoked salmon—you?"

"I'm looking at the steak."

She didn't reply. When he decided what to have, he put the menu aside and braced his elbows on the table. He lowered his face to his hands and scrubbed roughly with his palms. "Maybe we should just go back home."

"Leo, I got in the car, drove down here, went through the trouble of being seated and have decided what I want—I'm not going home now."

He ignored her. "I need a drink." She snorted. He shrugged. "I'm going to the bar."

"Then I'm going to the bathroom." She stood up and walked past him. She went into the women's bathroom. It was one of those fancy ones, with lounge chairs and perfume. No sooner had she exited the stall and washed her hands, did an attractive man walk in.

Stunned, she stared at him as he made his way over to her. "Are you Piper Halliwell?"

Dimly, she nodded. Then, she watched him transform into a creature—demon in fact—with gray skin, covered in crisscrossing marks. She searched him for a moment, unruffled, and finally, recognition came. "You." She hissed.

"My master, Belthazor, has sent me to deliver a message."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what message would that be?"

He smiled, reveling jagged, crooked, pointy teeth. "Well, he wanted to me inform you that your beloved whitelighter has taken a life. Earlier today."

"Why would I believe you?" she asked, though her heart was pounding. She wrapped an arm around her belly.

The demon laughed silkily. "Don't. But do yourself a favor—ask him about the child you lost." He disappeared in a puff of smoke. Piper promptly walked into the stall and vomited.

**XxXxXxXxX**

They never ate. She'd breezed by him at the bar, leaving behind a whiff of perfume and tears. He'd followed blandly, clutching his seven and seven like an anchor. Now, they stood outside, the rain littering the streets around them.

"You _lied_ to me!" she screamed, yanking her door open.

Leo clambered in beside her, as she fumbled to get the key in the ignition. "What the hell are you talking about!"

"God," she started to murmur as they drove away from the restaurant, "I didn't say I trusted you, but I didn't think that you'd pull some shit like this."

"What are you talking about!" he repeated.

Tears smeared her mascara down her cheeks. Hurt pooled in the depths of her eyes. "What about me, Leo? Do you think about me at all!"

"What—"

"You killed someone today, you sick son of bitch!" She screeched, desperately trying to slow the car down. "You killed someone today, and then you laid me down and made love to me—what the hell is wrong with _you_!"

Then it dawned on him. His mouth twisted evilly. "Slow the fuck down—"

"Oh, fuck you!" She turned to look at him, as she tried to slow at the intersection. "What about the baby we lost Leo?" Her foot braced over the gas, her hands on the wheel. "_You _killed _it_! _YOU_!"

He uttered word of finality, in a silky voice: "Yes."

She let out a blood-curdling scream and her foot landed on the gas and they barreled out into the intersection. Her voice changed to a gasp. "Leo, I think I'm having the bab—"

Neither of them saw the truck.

**AN: Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! This is a shocking chapter I know. I'm not giving anything away, but you can better believe we'll see a hospital next chapter!**


	14. Everything

**AN: Well, this marks my official return to Fanfiction. That is if any of you will take me back. Before you give me a cyber beat down, here's what's going on. In January of '06, my grandmother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and even though it became harder to write, I did anyway, because she encouraged me. In August of last year, a week after the new school year, my grandmother passed away. It has been an emotionally trying year. My grandmother and I were very close and it seemed as if all my creative drive died with her. **

**I've been trying to write since January of this year, but my creativity has been stilted. But, today, I really decided to try. To those of you who simply don't care about my stories anymore, thanks for the time you did spend, and I can hardly blame you. To those of you who are going to read on into this chapter: You mean the world to me when my writing is sometimes that only thing that keeps me happy. **

**So, a short summary of the things that have happened in the story since I KNOW some of you have forgotten(I would've): Piper and Leo reunited after he disappeared when Prue and their unborn baby died. Though they really shouldn't of, they slept together and that resulted in a pregnancy. Demons have revealed a little something about the death of their first child and that resulted to an on-road argument. The argument was distracting and landed them in a car accident. Without further ado… **

**Chapter 13: Everything**

"_Tell me everything will be alright,_

_Close your eyes and dream of me tonight,_

_Tell me that you won't just fade away,_

_Cross my heart…"  
_

_--Just Surrender, "Tell Me Everything"_

The car tumbled and flipped to a heart-startling stop. Everything around fell into a crushing silence. Leo found his bloody head laying on and amongst crumbly pieces of glass. His first thought was of Piper and his baby. He started to move and found the seatbelt had fallen apart, leaving him able to simply shimmy out of the seat much to his chagrin and pain. He noticed almost thoughtlessly that there was a lot of _his _blood on at the scene. When he was out he could see. Piper, laying, ejected from the car several feet away. He tried to scream, but it came out as a cough. The wet ground rushed up to meet his face. And then…

Nothing.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Leo woke next in his hospital bed, groggy and attached to a number of beeping machines. He gasped sharply and someone in the chair beside the door lifted his head sharply. Bright sunlight streamed through the windows. Where was Piper? Where was his child?

Leo started to speak, but it came out as nothing more than a series of gasps and stutters. The person in the chair walked over.

"Whoa, whoa, hey now. Calm that down." Oddly enough it was Blake. "They found my card in your wallet. It was the only number to call."

Leo nodded. "Where…" he paused to wheeze, "Piper?"

"She's in ICU."

Leo nodded. "The baby?"

Blake paused. "Leo, the baby's with Piper." Leo started to speak, but Blake stopped him. "Leo, listen to me. After the accident there were some…complications. They're going to be operating in ten minutes. They've got to do a caesarean section."

Leo coughed. "Wanna…I wanna…see 'er."

"No," Blake said adamantly. "You're not doing to hot yourself."

"Gotta," Leo managed, throwing back his blankets. He winced at a sharp stab of pain in his abdomen. He glanced down. He was all bandaged up. Interesting. "Gotta go see."

"No!" Blake said. "You can't leave this bed. You can't even go take a piss for God's sake!"

"Gotta," Leo mumbled again, trying to get his les over the side. "Gotta go see 'er."

"Nurse!" Blake shouted dramatically, momentarily forgetting that this was real life and not a nighttime drama. "Nurse!!"

Leo glanced at a machine. His heart rate was up dramatically. That was…funny. A nurse came in. She was tall, blonde and slim in a pair of plain turquoise scrubs. "He can't keep his heart rate up like this, we gotta put him under again."

"No!" Leo coughed out.

The nurse fiddled with a few of his machines and tubes. Leo screamed inside and once again, black.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Phoebe Halliwell cradled a cup of bad coffee half an hour later. She and Blake had become fast friends, bonding over their mutual situations. The fact that the people they were here for happened to be sharing an apartment and having a baby seemed to help.

Phoebe had dark bags under her eyes with nothing left in her to cry out. Blake rubbed her back soothingly and urged her to let it out.

"I cried so, so much for Prue. There's no tears of sadness left in me. And I promised Piper that I'd always be there for her. She couldn't make that promise to me. I wish she had."

Blake hugged her softly. "It'll be okay."

"But she's been in surgery so long and there's been so long since there was any news." Phoebe swayed in Blake's arms.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I dunno, yesterday?"

"We need to walk you down to the cafeteria."

As they walked away, with much cajoling on Blake's part, a very sedated Leo stumbled by. It was astonishing to see the way no one stopped him as he went blankly through the hallways. But, sadly enough, hospitals were busy, busy places and there was rarely anything running through these people's minds than the immediate problem, not the guy feeling his way blindly towards ICU operating rooms.

He'd even managed to disconnect himself from all his machines, which had been pretty painful. That IV had hurt like bitch. He closed his eyes for most of the way, but fatefully enough he fell right into the operating room. Oh yes, this was most definitely providence.

Someone's head whipped around to face him. "Doctor, a patient just wandered in. We've got to get him out of here."

The doctor swore heavily. "Well, Jesus, Donna, I can't just pull my hands out of a women's uterus."

"But Doctor--"

"Is he talking?"

"Well, no."

"Is he touching anything?"

"No."

"Then shut the hell up for a second."

"M-M-Mine," Leo stuttered. "My baby."

"Holy shit," the nurse said, "I think we've got the father in here."

The doctor mumbled something no one heard, but didn't repeat himself. "I'm extracting the baby now."

Leo watched as they lifted his child. Everything was riding on this moment. Everything. The baby didn't cry. No movement, no screams. Time slowed and Leo's heart clenched. As his vision blurred, he saw Piper in his mind's eye. His knees buckled, and in that last moment before what was left of him careened to the floor, his child let out an ear-piercing wail.

**XxXxXxXxX**

When Leo awoke, Blake was at his side once more. "How you doin' big guy?"

"Where--" Before Leo could wheeze out the rest of his question, Blake replied happily.

"Hey, when you learn to shut up, you wanna take a trip down to the maternity ward and check out your little boy. Then we can go visit Piper. She's already begging to be let out."

Leo didn't want to know how long he'd been out. He didn't care. He had a child. A little boy. And his Piper, the love of his life was okay.

For now, everything, was beautifully miraculously okay.

**AN: Thanks for making it this far! Love you all mucho! **

**-Gemini **

**PS: I might be changing my name, so look out for that.**


	15. Kill

**AN: From the bottom of the deepest, bottomless pit in my heart I would like to thank all of those who sent in reviews. It was beyond a comment on a written work. Some of them were just these amazing wonderful things that made me smile. **

**Chapter 14: Kill**

"_You know you do, _

_You kill me well,_

_You like it too,_

_And I can tell,_

_You never stop until,_

_My final breath is gone."_

_--Hawthorne Heights, "Ohio Is For Lovers"_

As it would happen, it was several days before Piper's doctors would even consider thinking about letting her go home. It occurred to Piper around the third day that she should have Leo wave his whitelighter hands, tell the doctors to chalk it up to a miracle and skip out of there. However, she didn't know the last time Leo had even attempted to use his power and what if they wouldn't even work anymore?

So, she'd decided to let it go. She'd been informed that she'd been ejected from the car and had landed several feet away. Apparently, it was even a miracle that she was even alive, let alone functioning so well. Piper had to disagree. She was not the miracle in this situation. The miracle was her little boy.

Wyatt Matthew Halliwell.

He was the singularly most beautiful thing she'd ever, ever laid eyes on. A moment had passed between her and Leo. There was a time when he'd meant the world to her. His hand in Wyatt's creation deserved to be acknowledged. Thus, her child's name.

Of course, Wyatt was small, and premature and the doctors lectured her constantly about his state, and how she couldn't get to carried away, even in the small space of time she was allowed out of bed to go visit her son, who still needed around-the-clock surveillance, but she knew, deep in her heart of hearts, that she, her son, and his father would all pull through and be just fine.

And she'd decided she kind of liked Leo's knew friend. Which was why, when he blew into her hospital room, with flushed cheeks and a small smile, halfway through the two o'clock soap opera, she didn't really mind.

"What's with you?" she had to ask.

He smiled at her. "Oh. Nothing. What are we watching?"

"_One Life To Live_. What are we smiling about?'

"Nothing, I swear." Blake paced the small room, long legs eating up tile after tile. Finally, apparently unable to contain himself, he let out a small screech and disappeared. Well, that was interesting enough.

**XxXxXxXxX**

Leo, who had just been released the day before, was making his way to Piper's room. He'd already been in to visit Wyatt, and his heart had almost burst with delight. It was a moment he felt he should share with her. That inexplicable, crushing, exuberant feeling of being a parent that only she would understand. He made his way up to her room, passing a familiar blur of tall man he figured to be Blake and rapped on the door.

"Come in."

Leo cracked the door open. "Hey." Seeing her this way, all cuts and bruises was like a knife in him. She killed him, she really did.

"Hey," she replied softly.

"How are you?" He came fully into the room.

"Best as can be expected, or so the doctors tell me."

"When do you think you'll be getting out?" he asked, pulling up one of the chairs close to the bed.

"Sometime next week, I'm hoping."

What she didn't know was that he'd already spoken with the doctors and that he knew her condition up, down, left, right, sideways and far better than she. But, he didn't really think that she needed to know.

"Here's hoping," he replied with a smile.

There was beat of silence, and then: "Leo, we need to talk."

"Okay."

"I don't have the energy for screaming fights and bitter banter. Not now, and maybe not ever. At this point, I'd take life slow and boring. I gave up being a Charmed One the day I walked out on Phoebe. That was a mistake, and I may never forgive myself, let alone expect her to. But the point is, that's a part of my life I don't expect to contend with. All I want to do is lead a normal life and raise my child in a normal home."

Leo swallowed. His heart was breaking. She was killing him. She was always killing him. "I understand that."

"Leo, I need to know what happened. I need to know what happened the day our baby died." Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.

Leo coughed, his own eyes welling. "Piper, I--"

"No, damn it, you tell me!" Piper whispered fiercely

Leo stood and walked over to the window. "Piper, I didn't leave you. I didn't leave Phoebe, or Prue. And I sure as hell didn't leave our baby. I was _taken_."

"What do you mean?"

Leo swallowed again. "The moment I orbed, someone else was doing it. I wasn't pulling myself away. I found myself in front of a woman, on a throne. She didn't say a word, just looked down at me. Two people came and restrained me. And I remember that she told me that this was where I belonged. That this was where my people belonged."

"Whitelighters?"

"No."

"Men?"

"No. Fallen soldiers." Leo turned suddenly, and began to pace, his feet crossing in a beam of sunlight every now and then. "Piper, if I hadn't become a Whitelighter, that's where I would've gone. I would've gone to Valhalla. In Norse mythology, Valhalla is where fallen soldiers and heroes spend their days, battling during the day and feasting at night. That women, she was a Valkyrie, a women who ruled and watched over Valhalla.

"But that's not where I was meant to be," Leo continued. "I became a Whitelighter because Valhalla wasn't the right place for me. I was a much weaker man than that place allowed. It was hurt. It was killing my soul. Just like you did. That first night we found each other again, you looked at me with such hatred, it killed me."

She was always killing him.

Piper wasn't satisfied. "You told me…You said to me that you killed our baby. How?"

Leo scrubbed his face and began to deadpan an explanation. "I loved you. You have to know that. With everything in me, I wanted you. And I never forgot that. I went to the Elders. I went to them and begged for a chance to be with you. Without interference and forbiddance. They made me sign something. I was tricked. The Elders took our child from us. Do you really think that Shax could've beaten the Charmed Ones solely on his powers?"

Piper stared in horrified silence. "How long have you had these theories?"

Leo shrugged. "Since I was mysteriously removed from Valhalla." After long, quiet moments, he turned to her. "Piper, I know this is a lot to take right now--"

"Please," Piper interrupted. "I can't…take anything else. Not…not now. Please, just go."

"But, Piper."

"Go."

He softly shut the door to her room behind him. Yes, like a knife through the heart.

XxXxXxXxX

Later, Piper was visiting little Wyatt. He looked so small and sad, all asleep by himself, enclosed behind glass. "We're gonna go home soon, baby. I promise."

"Piper…"

She turned to see Leo, standing in the doorway. She looked back and forth between them, her child and this, man, these integral parts of her life and she imploded. Emotion flooded her and seconds later, she was bawling, tears streaming out of her amid gasps and coughs.

"Piper," Leo said, "you can't get so worked up, you'll kill yourself."

But Piper continued to cry. No, she wouldn't kill herself, it was him. It would always be him. Leo took her in his arms, bending awkwardly over the wheelchair to hold her. They wouldn't have much more time. The nurse would return and demand she go back to her room, and he would walk around, before sneaking in and spending another night at her bedside.

Piper grasped his forearms. "Kiss me," she whispered, chocking back tears. "Please."

Leo stared at her. "Piper, you don't really--"

"Please!" she begged desperately. "I need this. I need you. Kiss me like you love me, kiss me like you mean it."

Leo leaned down and took her mouth with a groan. Her soft lips crushed him and took him over. She consumed him. Fire and heat and sadness and her taste was like a drug, so sure of itself, he was certain he could never escape.

Piper's hands came around to grasp his head as her tears dried between them. It would always be him and it would always be her.

**AN: Okay, even though this is not the end, I've already got a sequel in mind. Actually, there was a sequel **_**planned**_**. But, if no one is willing to read a sequel, it would **_**drastically **_**change the ending of this story. I'm not saying anyone dies or anything, but the ending would be **_**incredibly**_** different without a sequel. So, sequel anyone? As always, thanks and please review. **

**--Gemini**

**PS: Hoping to get the next chapter up in jiff!**


	16. Dreams

**Chapter 15: Dreams**

"_All I have are dreams of you…"_

_Selena, "Dreaming of You"_

Phoebe refused to let her sister move back to her apartment. After all the manor was as much Piper's as it was hers, and they could decorate a room for Wyatt, and she and Leo could have their own room and they would have a bigger kitchen.

But most of all, Phoebe wanted her sister back.

It was huge effort to get Piper, Leo and Wyatt all moved in. Before Piper was released, Leo and Blake set about packing up and moving the apartment. It was two days before she was released that they were done setting up. Then, they went out and bought everything you could ever imagine a newborn baby might need in preparation for kick starting life at home.

Even though they hadn't managed to totally redecorate in time, it did look like the room of a child by the time they were done.

As it would happen, Piper and Wyatt were released on the same day. It was a show getting them out of the hospital--where they'd garnered many a fan--and into the house were the careful removal of both mother--who refused to let go of Wyatt for even a half of a second--into the house.

So, by the time everyone was settled, it was five-thirty, Piper and Wyatt were asleep in their bedroom, dinner was almost done and Leo, Blake and Phoebe sat, exhausted, but ecstatic. This is the stuff dreams were made of.

"I'm so glad you guys came to stay here!" Phoebe said jovially.

Leo smiled sideways. "I'm glad to be here, Phoebe."

Before she could reply, the phone rang. Phoebe placed her glass aside, "I'll get it."

As she picked it up, Leo slanted a glance at his worn out friend. "You look tired. Maybe you should just head on home."

Blake stretched and yawned. "Maybe you're right." He stood.

Leo followed him to the door. "Thanks a million, Blake, I mean it."

The evening air was clean and fresh and crisp and the house was cool as the temperature outside increased. He could go in and eat a good meal, then go to bed with the woman he loved. Leo felt better than he had in a long time. Leo and his friend parted ways, and Leo went back into his home.

"Hey, Phoebe, I'm gonna go see if Piper wants anything!" He shouted as he mounted the stairs.

"Okay!" She called back.

Leo opened the door to the bedroom slowly. Piper was asleep, with Wyatt nestled against her side. Both were breathing so softly, lips slightly parted. He smoothed his hand over Piper's forehead.

"Hey, baby," he said softly.

She murmured and her eyes fluttered open. "Hey," she said quietly.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"No, just tired." She patted the spot in the bed next to her. "Lay down."

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?"

"Lay your ass down." She was smiling as her eyes closed again. She felt his weight as he settled in, Wyatt between them. There was a part of her that missed this. A part of her that ached for this. But she couldn't let herself feel this hope yet. Not when there were so many unanswered questions, so many what ifs to explore.

If Leo's theories were right, then they had a lot more to worry about than the immediate things. If the Elders were purposely screwing up people lives, if the Elders had caused her to _loose_ her _child_…

If these things were true, then Piper felt lost. She'd dedicated such a large part of her life to protecting people, and the Elders were supposed to be in the fight with her, guiding her, as much as she occasionally hated them.

Had she really dedicated years of her life to a cause lead by betrayers?

Leo's hand found hers across the bed, grasping it tightly and she chanced a glance at his face. He smiled weakly. "Makes it all worth it, huh?"

She didn't even have to ask for an explanation. "I've dreamt about this."

He lifted her hands to his lips. "Have you?" he murmured against her skin.

"Yup. I used to dream of us and this and you as the perfect father and me as a great mother." Her breath caught. "But that's not it, is it?"

Leo still didn't open his eyes. "It could be."

Piper smiled sardonically. "That's why they're called dreams, Leo. They're a nice diversion from everyday life."

"Technically, your dreams are something you're not reacting to during consciousness, and it manifests itself during the time when your subconscious is in control." She didn't miss the quirk in his lips. He might have been playing around, but she wasn't.

"Leo, you know that's not what I mean."

"I don't know anything until you tell me. I'm not a mind reader."

"You certainly pretend to be."

He moved around a little. "I don't do anything. I don't expect to be great by the same things when I'm with you. You're always knocking me around. It kills me, your impulsiveness."

Piper licked her lips. She could feel the spark of a fight in the air. "I didn't crawl into bed in the middle of the night."

"And if I hadn't?"

"We wouldn't have Wyatt," she answered honestly.

"Case closed."

"This case is not closed!" Piper exclaimed.

Leo was obviously very close to sleep. "Shut up for a second, you'll wake the baby."

Piper was quiet for a moment, contemplating her reply. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About where you went…that day."

It was so long before he replied, she was certain he'd gone to sleep. "Because. It wouldn't have changed the way you felt about me. It still probably doesn't. You were better off not knowing."

Piper swallowed. "You're right, you're not a mind reader. You don't know anything about me at all."

"Don't," he replied sharply, so sharply for a man to have so little facial reaction.

"Don't what?" She demanded. "Don't point out the truth? Don't force you to realize how bad this all is? How much this situation has changed?"

"Don't go there, Piper. Leave it alone."

"You don't know me. You don't know a thing about me."

Leo's eyes opened suddenly and she was drowning in aqua whirlpools. "I know how your heart aches when you look at Wyatt. I know that you stay away from art museums because they remind you of Prue--"

"Stop."

"I know how much it hurt when Billy Jacobson stood you up for senior year homecoming--"

"Leo--"

"And I know how alone and afraid you felt the day your mother died." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't need to be a fucking mind reader, Piper. I've been with you, guiding you, from the moment you drew your first breath."

And if that wasn't love…

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She was wounded in a way she couldn't pin down, and as such, couldn't continue arguing.

"Sweet dreams," he murmured, squeezing her hand tightly and seconds later, was snoring softly.

**XxXxXxXxX**

The next morning, Piper was in an irritable mood. Nothing could help but her son's placating coos. She'd spent half the day pretending to watch soap operas while actually watching Wyatt sleep, before Leo came home from his job hunt.

Fortunately, he was ecstatic. "I did it!" He shouted. "I found a job! It's construction, you know, not much but the pay is decent and there's room for growth."

Piper smiled then, happy for him if nothing else. "Leo, that's great."

His eyes twinkled. "You really think so?"

Piper stood and hugged him. "Of course I do. I'm proud of you."

Leo grabbed her hands. "Let's celebrate. You, me. Phoebe and Blake if they wanna go?" Piper gave him a look, but he was too happy to be beaten down. "Yeah, I know, our last night out didn't go so well--" This comment was punctuated by a snort, "but this could be different. I mean, we'll get the biggest meals at the very best restaurant in town. We'll get all gussied up and have a grand ole time!"

And off he was, with a proverbial kick of his heels.

**XxXxXxXxX**

At first, Piper considered feigning illness and staying home with Wyatt. But Leo, Blake and Phoebe had been infectious with enthusiasm, and she'd found herself excited in a breathless, anxious, first-date kind of way.

There was also this subject of clothing. If giving birth had occurred under normal circumstances, she'd probably be at least twenty pounds heavier. But she hadn't eaten for so long in the hospital, she felt weird in different places and small in some and heavier in others. All in all, she felt sort of awkward and wasn't sure she'd be pleased with any clothing she had.

However, Leo had squashed these worries, and in the end was quite pleased with himself.

It had been a great pleasure that snuck through him on many different levels, watching her come down the stairs, her hair in soft waves, her skin glowing and lips pink. She wore a simple black dress with thin straps and a modest neckline. She wasn't all exposed, but she wasn't all covered either.

Not only that, but she had this wonderful accessory of their child, nestled safely in her arms, and he knew he was making the right decision.

Blake and Phoebe rode in his car while Piper, Leo and Wyatt took the Jeep. Dinner was a lush affair with good seafood and steaks and pasta. Piper was a touch peach in the cheeks, maybe from contentment or too much wine, and Leo did care which, so long as she was happy about it.

Towards the end of the meal, Leo stood, touching his knife to his glass to gain the attention of his table, and apparently, that of the remains of the restaurant.

"I'd like to make an announcement." He gazed down at Piper's face and had the courage to move on. "I love this woman. I always have, and I always will. Until the moment she draws her very last breath I will love her. I could only hope that she feels the same for me. I want her for my own. I want to know that will always be there for each other."

Piper's eyes darted around in embarrassment. "Leo--"

He turned to her. "Piper, I can't go on another day with out you has my wife. _I dreamt of us too_. I want you to be the last thing I see before I go to bed and the first thing I see when I wake up because I want to be dreaming of you all day and into the night."

Piper grabbed his hand, "Leo, I don't think--"

"Don't think," he smiled. "Do you dream of us too?"

Tears began to roll down her cheeks and as second burned into one another, Leo had to wonder if they were having the same dreams.

**AN: Thank you so much for all of your reviews!! I loved them to bits, but didn't have time to do this chapter and do personal responses, even with the handy dandy reply thingy. Ah, real life keeps me busy, busy, busy. **

**I'm trying to decided how to wrap this story up. I'm thinking at least six more chapters, and I'm gonna try to get those rolling out so I can concentrate on the sequel. **

**BTW, she hasn't said no, but she most definitely has not said yes. Thank you, and as always, please review!! **


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